


Loving You Without Knowing

by NebulaEyes



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: 6000 Years of Pining (Good Omens), Angel Crowley (Good Omens), Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Aziraphale and Crowley Through The Ages (Good Omens), Aziraphale is Bad at Feelings (Good Omens), Caring Crowley (Good Omens), Crowley Was Raphael Before He Fell (Good Omens), Denial of Feelings, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Falling In Love, Feelings, Feels, First Love, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friends to Lovers, I Made Myself Cry, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm Bad At Titles, Idiots in Love, Love, Love Confessions, Love at First Sight, M/M, Oblivious Aziraphale (Good Omens), POV Aziraphale (Good Omens), Pining, Self-Denial, Slow Burn, Softie Crowley (Good Omens), Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-20 13:43:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 46,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20228800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NebulaEyes/pseuds/NebulaEyes
Summary: (Edited Summary) As the years go by, Aziraphale realizes he may have had feelings for an angel in Heaven. Trouble is, ALSO as the years go by, he's feeling those same things for Crowley. Why is that? What will happen? What EXACTLY happened to Raphael? Why is Aziraphale the only one with a ring? What will be revealed once the Apocalypse isn't a problem?





	1. Chapter 1

I was walking through the halls of heaven, watching the other angels rush about, and for the immortal life of me, I couldn't fathom what the fuss was about. As I was watching various angels chatter, rush to others to continue the chatter, and then rush about even MORE throughout the halls, I found myself accidentally bumping into another angel. "Oh! I'm terribly sorry!" The angel in front of me turned around to face me. He wasn't too much taller than myself, but I felt small compared to him somehow. He had jet black hair that hung in ringlets, waves, and curls. His eyes were a marvelous emerald green. His robes were a bit different though. His robes weren't like mine and the other angels. I was fairly new, just a century old, and this was my first time out of the training halls. I had no idea who this was, but his robes were about the same length. However, they matched the color of his eyes with excruciatingly detailed golden swirls, dots, circles, and flecks of gold here and there all along his sleeves and the bottom of the robe. He didn't have his wings out, so I couldn't say what color they were, but I would like to imagine they were green as well.

When I finally looked around, I noticed the chatter had stopped, and now all of the other angels were staring at me. "It's no problem." The angel in front of me said. I looked up at him and noticed that he was wearing an intrigued smile for some reason. "What's your name, Angel?"

"Aziraphale." I answered as my gaze darted back and forth from the angel in front of me, to the others who now seemed a bit tetchy for some reason.

"Very well, Aziraphale." He nodded, maintaining his smile as he somehow ignored the thick aura of tetchiness in the air. "Do you know who I am?"

"No, I'm sorry. I just got out of the training halls." I admitted, which made me feel like I was a newly created fledgling all over again.

"That makes a bit of sense now." He sighed out. I then noticed that he practically glared at the other angels briefly before looking back at me with kindness. "Do you know why they are upset?"

I looked at them and every last one of them flinched with what looked like shame, but I shook my head honestly. "No. Just moments ago they were busy chatting with each other, rushing about, and then repeating the process all over again. Then, I bump into you and everything ceases."

"It's because of who I am. You don't know me, but they do. I don't usually speak with other angels. I usually keep to myself, but today is a special occasion, and they are upset that I'm talking with you, because of today."

"What's today?" I wondered cautiously as I tried to focus on him and not the glares that still bore through my robes.

_**"Everyone! Out!"**_ God's voice shouted, and I was about to leave as well, but the angel in front of me gently grabbed my wrist with his right hand and I noticed something on it. There was a golden ring. It was beautiful and carefully made, but why would he have a ring? I looked up at him and he held a finger to his mouth indicating for me to be silent. _**"Ah, there you are. What are you doing here?"**_

He quickly turned around, but kept me behind his back. "I've been wandering around, thinking about what you said. You know, about creating what you and I were to create, and I was thinking...perhaps I could have someone with me."

_ **"You wish for someone with you other than me?"** _

"No, Lord." I could hear the smile in his voice somehow, and his hand on my wrist was still rather warm, but a good warm. "I mean, I wish to have someone I may speak about it with, share ideas with, and have their opinion about it. If they so wish it, I would not be opposed to them even assisting me."

_'Well, doesn't he sound like a higher up?'_ I thought to myself with a mental snort of laughter. _'Wait...perhaps he IS!'_

_ **"May I ask why?"** _

"Well, Lord, you know everything, you can create anything, you ARE everything. You are light, love, emotion, peace, and everything. I would like a fellow angel's eyes and mind to gaze upon the creation, and if they feel so inclined, I would like their soul and grace to be placed within every molecule of creating what we are to create. I can and have talked to you about a great many things, but I would like a fellow angel to be with me. I want to give one angel the opportunity for such a thing. An angel that, as I've come to realize rather quickly, has a unique soul similar to my own."

_**"Come out from behind his back, Aziraphale."**_ God commanded in a soft and kind tone, which was accompanied with a hint of knowing, but that was normal for God. I did as she asked of me, feeling the angel's hand leave my wrist, which made it feel so suddenly cold.

"Y-Yes, Lord?" I stuttered out as I looked up at her and her white hair, liquid golden eyes, and pure white dress with long elegant sleeves.

She smiled at me before looking at the angel next to me. _**"Would this be that angel?"**_

"Yes, Lord." The angel next to me answered. "I looked at his aura, his soul, his grace, and his eyes. They are similar, yet oh so different to my own. He is a curious one. He is also imaginative, creative, intelligent, witty, calm, attentive, and a great many other things."

_ **"I see. Are you sure?"** _

"Yes!" He nodded as he glanced at me. "I think he would be rather good at it."

She nodded her head and stepped closer to me. _**"Aziraphale, I take it you don't know what today is."**_

"I do not. I just got out of the training hall. The only angels I knew were the ones I had grown up with and trained with and under."

_ **"Well, this is the Archangel Raphael."** _

My jaw dropped as I quickly whipped my head around to look at him. "Y-You are..."

"Yes, I am." He replied gently with a warm smile, which made my wrist feel warmer despite him no longer grasping it. "And today is the day that God and I will take an endless and infinite amount of _nothing_ and create _something_. It will be called a _universe,_ and it will hold light, dark, color, life, death, balance, planets where various things will live with their own environments, and She will create a very special planet that she will explain within four days. I decided I would like you to help me create the universe alongside God, or at the very least, listen to your honest and eager opinions."

"Wh-What!? C-Create alongside...y-you and G-God!?" I stuttered out in complete disbelief as I looked back and forth between the two. "Wait...but what about any of the other Archangels? Gabriel? Michael? Uriel? Samael?"

Raphael shook his head with a determined grin. "No, they won't work. It has to be you. Their auras are vastly different from my own and too different for this." He turned to face God once more. "Lord, do I have your permission to have Aziraphale assist me?"

She smiled at both of us and nodded her head. _**"It is one of the many reasons I made him different. You two will be good for each other. Now, let us go. Aziraphale, do not, no matter what, hold back ANY opinions. Do not worry about offending myself or Raphael. That is EXTREMELY important. Do you understand?"**_

"Y-Yes! Yes, Lord!" I shouted with pure enthusiasm. Fresh out of the training halls and I'm accompanying God Herself and the Archangel Raphael to go and create with them!

Once we got to the 'nothing' it certainly lived up to its name. She walked up to me and placed her palm on my chest, but she also did the same thing to Raphael. _**"You can now both create. You can give and take away light and life. You can summon forth color, light, chemicals, elements, and you will be able to control their size and life span, but make sure you make it as long as possible, while also making each and everything with a vastly different life span."**_

"Lord, may I ask a question?" I looked at her palm leaving my chest with a furrowed brow before looking up at her.

_ **"What is it, Aziraphale?"** _

"Well...will any other angels be given this power?"

_ **"I will make it so other angels can harness light, color, and elements. They will not be able to create life, alter life spans, chemicals, or even nature itself without my say so. Right now, the two of you very much have my say so. I will start time when we are done, and then I will personally get started on something very important to me."** _

"Understood!" Raphael and I chimed together.

_**"Good, now watch this and pay attention."**_ She held up a hand and snapped her fingers saying, _**"Let there be light!"**_ And there WAS! _**"You will be able to do the same. I will work with this ball of light while you two share one. Create, discuss, and be imaginative."**_

Oh, and create we did! Raphael and I were laughing, talking, creating, spinning, carefully twining, and breathing life into what he decided should be called stars. We made a cluster of color, light, and stars WITH God, and she called it a Nebula. It was beautiful. The planets we created were all different in their own way with their own life spans that only we would know about, and God explained that we would be connected to them in a way now. I can't exactly say for how long we were creating, laughing, and imagining, but when we were done, we were surrounded by such a marvelous sight I almost felt the need to weep. It was so beautiful and I helped build it. Helped create it. Not only that, but I made my first REAL friend in Heaven, and he was an Archangel!

I gave all of my most honest opinions and even interrupted him a few times, but doing so didn't bother him in the slightest. In fact, it made him smile more, which made me feel more confident to interrupt and kindly give an opinion or join in with whatever he was creating. For a while we actually ended up throwing stardust at each other, and that's when I saw it. I saw his six marvelous wings. They were exactly what I thought and more. They were a beautiful array of different shades of green. The closest to the base of the wing, the darker the shade until it was almost black, but now due to us throwing stardust at each other, his wings now held that same stardust. God came over to us, and I flinched slightly, but her smile eased my nerves. _**"I don't think the two of you can see exactly what you've created. Come, let's see it from a distance."**_

We followed her until she stopped, then we turned around, both of us gasping with delight at what we created. "It's beautiful!" I breathed out.

_ **"Yes, it is. Close up like this, you can tell it holds two main stars surrounded by smaller, younger stars, but at a distance, it will look like one star. I believe I'll call this...Alpha Centuri. I'll make the suggestion to one of my creations someday to think and know the name."** _

"One of your creations, Lord?" I asked curiously.

_**"All in good time, Aziraphale."**_She giggled as she walked over to Raphael. She gently held one of his wings and smiled brilliantly at them. _**"It seems you've made him one with the stars, Aziraphale."**_

"I-I apologize." I stuttered out, lowering my head in embarrassment and shame. "I didn't mean to ruin his wings."

"Don't you dare say that, Aziraphale!" Raphael pleaded as he brought his wings out in front of him. They were less green, in fact, all of them were almost completely black with only close markings of deep dark green.

"B-But...your wings...they were so beautiful and so green when we started and I foolishly tossed dark stardust at you."

"If I remember correctly, I was doing the same to you, and your wings have taken a noticeable change as well." The smirk on his face caused me to bring forth my right wing and I let out a shuddering breath when I saw it. "They were cream colored when we started. Now...they're PURE white and if I look closely enough, I can see them glittering as well. I find it remarkable when I think about it. You tossed dark stardust at me, but I tossed light stardust at you, and we created that. Now, we'll always have the reminder of what we created. You didn't ruin my wings...you improved them."

_**"I rather like them this way."**_ God grinned as she inspected my wings next. _**"For both of you. However, don't go showing it off. Stay humble."**_

"Yes, Lord." He and I agreed in unison.

_ **"Also, I can easily remove the improvements if you wish. I did create the two of you after all."** _

"No." I grinned at Raphael. "I like them this way. I didn't at first and I was sorry, but...if he likes it, then I do too. I'd like to keep my wings this way."

She nodded her head with what looked to be a proud but calm smile. _**"Good, because I like them this way, and I would rather not change them."**_

She instructed us to go back to heaven while she started time, so we did, and we both immediately hid our new wings. "That was amazing!" I exclaimed.

He let out a warm laugh as he patted me on the back. "YOU were amazing, Aziraphale. Your opinions were wonderful and we created something amazing in the midst of having fun! Oh, I couldn't ask for more. That was wonderful."

As we were walking, I noticed that he soon stopped. "Raphael!" Another's voice called out. It was smooth, but there was also an edge to it. As if there was a constant state of irritation, but odd calmness.

"Samael! What a pleasant surprise. How are you?" Raphael questioned while he suddenly placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"I've been well, brother!" He chuckled dryly as he walked towards us. "Who is this?"

"This is Aziraphale." Raphael introduced me, and I felt a violent shiver go up my spine when Samael looked at me, but it wasn't like the shiver I got from creating. It was harsh and cold and entirely unpleasant, which was odd considering he was a fellow angel. An Archangel, but a fellow angel none the less. "He's a new angel. Fresh out of training and he just finished helping me and God create something."

"My..." Samael's eyes widened considerably. "...I wasn't aware we had a new Archangel."

"He's not an Archangel." Raphael stated proudly for some reason, but his hand on my shoulder kept me from shrinking behind him at least. "He hasn't been given a station yet. I chose him and God agreed."

"You chose him!?" He gawked. "Not me? The one your closest to?"

"Yes." He nodded proudly. "I chose him, because I saw good things in him. You, right now, are being rude. I did NOT choose you, because we are TOO different. I enjoy our differences, and I believe it's a reason that we're so close, but you and I are just too different. The same would go for the other Archangels before you lose your temper. Really, you should be proud of him. He's quite creative. Now, is there a reason why you've called out to me?"

Samael crossed his arms and I finally noticed that his robes were crimson, his eyes were so brown they were ALMOST black, and his hair was golden. "No reason in particular. Was wondering if you wanted to spend some time together, but evidently not. If he's got your attention though..." Samael seemed to calm at his own words as he let out a heavy sigh. "...he really must be truly gifted. It's not like you to talk to other angels or to even really look at them, so this is good for you. It seems this one has opened your eyes a bit. Farewell, brother."

Once he was out of sight, Raphael released his hold on my shoulder, leaving it feeling as cold as Samael's gaze made me feel. "Sorry about that, Aziraphale. He um...get's rather tetchy rather quickly when it comes to me. The other Archangels don't pay him much attention, because he's the middle child, and so they don't think they really need to. You see, it goes in order, me, Michael, Samael, Gabriel, and Uriel. He gets a bit...I think God called it jealous or envious and she warned him to calm that feeling. She warned him to not feel it, that it twists his aura in a nasty way. I saw it happen while we were talking just now. Actually, I saw it happen as soon as he saw you with me, which is why I put my hand on your shoulder. I was easing the intensity of it off of your shoulders."

"B-But...I felt so cold as he looked at me..."

"I know. Jealousy or envy can do terrible things to others. Imagine if I hadn't done it, actually, don't. Come, let's go see what God is creating."

"How are we going to do that?"

"She's putting on display for everyone right now. It's in a place she's called an observatory." I followed him to a large room made of nothing but glass and we stood there watching God create a remarkable planet. It was so different from the ones Raphael and I created. I couldn't tell how long we were standing there, but it had to be days, because I felt time pass through me like air. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes, it really is." I nodded my head as I watched God disappear.

_**"I'm glad you all think so." **_Her voice appeared behind us, causing all of us to turn and face her. "That is called Earth. There is land, oceans, streams, rivers, plants of all kinds and various different types of animals that I will allow my next creation to name and have dominion over. My next creation will be created in our image and will be called Humans. Earth will be their home, and I expect you to love them and the Earth as I do. I expect you to respect them and the life on Earth."

"WHAT!?" Samael's voice was heard.

_**"What is it, Samael?"**_ God asked and I felt a change in the air, but that was also when I felt Raphael's hand on my shoulder.

I looked up and saw a cold and furious look coming from his usually warm features, and it was entirely directed at Samael. "Samael, watch your tone!" Raphael growled out.

"No!" He shouted, in defiance of all things, and if it wasn't for Raphael's hand on my shoulder, I imagine I would be feeling like many of the other angels around us. They were all backing far away from him, and there was fear, concern, wonder, and confusion in their eyes. They were almost...cowering away. As he stepped closer I felt the immensity of Samael's emotion, making me even more grateful for Raphael's steadying hand. "You expect us to love and respect THEM!? THEY should love and respect US! How will they be like us!? If they will be made in our image, won't that mean that they're angels as well!? Why should we love them!? You haven't explained yourself, Lord!"

_ **"I DO NOT NEED TO EXPLAIN MYSELF TO YOU! ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE ACTING LIKE A FLEDGLING THROWING A TANTRUM! HOW DARE YOU QUESTION ME!? EXPLAIN MYSELF!? NO! EXPLAIN YOURSELF, SAMAEL! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU CAN SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT!?"** _

The other angels scattered, but three others remained. They had robes like Raphael and Samael, which told me that they were the other Archangels. There was one with silver hair, muscular features, violet eyes, and a lavender robe. There was another wearing light blue robes with brown hair with streaks of gold in some places down her wavy hair, and light blue eyes. Then, there was one with dark skin, wearing a medium shade of brown robe that matched her eyes. I felt Raphael's grip on me tighten briefly, washing away the aura I was practically being crushed with. "Lord, might I suggest that this angel be removed from this conversation?" The one with the violet eyes requested in a rather cold manner as he glared at Samael.

_ **"He may stay if he wishes to." She stated calmly, but the wrath was still swimming in her tone. "I do not like the way I am feeling at the moment. I will give it a terrible and horrible name to group it together with other terrible and horrible things later, but for right now, if he wishes to stay by Raphael's side, he may."** _

"Do you want to stay?" Raphael questioned in my ear with a gentle tone. I shook my head, because I was certain that if he let go of my shoulder now, I would fall faint from the amount of tension in the room. "Very well..." He whispered lower and quieter. "...I'll protect you, then." His words warmed me around my chest for some reason, but a wave of trust, care, and protectiveness washed over me, making that warmth seem minuscule at best. "He wishes to stay." He stated, and I noticed that the one with the violet eyes rolled them.

"Fine, but he shouldn't speak during this."

_**"I will decide if he is allowed to speak or not, Gabriel." **_God warned._** "Now, Samael, what is your reason for your temper? What makes you think you can speak to me in such a manner?"**_

"WE are your creation! WE are your children, your angels, your Archangels! Why would you need to create OTHER beings in OUR image!? Are we not enough!? WE serve YOU! Why would you need anyone else!?"

_ **"Yes, you are my creation, my angels, my Archangels, and it is not a need, but a want. I wish to create others in our image, but they will not have wings, nor will they have as long of life spans as us. They will also have beating hearts, require oxygen, sleep, food, among other things. I will test them."** _

"TEST THEM!? TEST THEM WITH WHAT!? NO WINGS!? So they're lesser than us, but we have to RESPECT THEM and LOVE THEM!?"

_ **"Do not ask me what I am testing them with. Yes, they will not have wings and yes again...I expect you to love and respect them. I expect you to love all things on Earth, especially the humans."** _

"So...y-you're..." Samael was flailing his hands as if trying to find the answer, and if I didn't know any better, I would say his jealousy and wrath was only growing. "...you're just going to EXPERIMENT on them, because we're not good enough for you anymore!?"

"That's not what she said, brother." Raphael spoke so calmly I could FEEL his voice reverberate within the tension as if it were pushing it away like we pushed away the stardust and light. "She said to not question her. She said to love them. She said to respect them. She didn't say she was going to experiment on them."

"Oh-ho!" He cackled. "You naive idiot! That's what TESTING THEM means! Why should I show an experiment ANY respect!? A WINGLESS experiment at that!"

"Because she has asked it of you." Raphael calmly replied, his hand on my shoulder never squeezing more or letting up. I could feel how calm his aura was. I could also feel his sorrow, anger, desperation, and silent plea for this to stop. "You shouldn't question her."

"Oh, but I've seen you asking her questions...OFTEN! Why is it that YOU get to ask questions, but when it comes to the lesser being...the humans...the experiment...why is it that MY questioning about THEM is so wrong!?"

"Because she asked you not to." Gabriel spoke up. "Raphael's questions don't go AGAINST God, but yours do. Quite blatantly as a matter of fact."

"You're just going along with him, because he's the favorite!"

"No, Samael, that would be you." The one with the light blue eyes and robe stated with a hint of what seemed to be contempt. "Well, until now, that is. God has been very patient with you, and when Her patient so obviously has run out, you dare question Her. You dare go against what she asked you not mere seconds after she asked you to simply not ask questions about the humans."

"Oh, stuff it, Michael! You've never liked me anyway."

"Not true. I love you, brother, but I can't be around you when your aura twists and warps itself like it is now."

"They're right, Samael. You need to calm yourself and do as God says." The one with the brown robes added.

"Uriel! How rare it is for you to speak! So, how about you go back to being silent? Hmm?" Samael spat with a horrible look in his eyes before he turned them back to God. "What are we supposed to be or DO for these humans anyway!? You want us to love and respect them, even though they are less than us, so I assume you want us to do something for them."

_**"That is true."**_ God nodded Her head as she let out a heavy sigh. _**"However, the job I was going to give you will obviously be redacted. I will give it to Raphael, instead. Your job was to help maintain the Garden they will live in. Where they will join together and create more humans."**_

"WHAT!? Now they can create too!? You are giving them too much power!" Samael started charging towards God with his fists in the air, but was swiftly stopped by Raphael, who miraculously made a staff appear in his hands, blocking Samael and guarding God.

"NOT ANOTHER STEP, BROTHER! I will not hesitate!" The growl that left his voice was anything but angelic. I couldn't name it, but I knew I didn't like it. His hand still remained on my shoulder, and he kept most of his emotions in balance, but wrath was coming forth like a steady stream.

"The thing is..." Samael huffed as he stilled his movements before standing straighter, glaring at Raphael. "...I believe you. Brother, you're the one I'm closest to. I wouldn't dare hurt you, but even you must agree that she's giving them far too much power. Them creating more humans indicates they will be able to create life!"

"If that's what God wants, then I will watch them create, Samael." The calmness in his voice once again reverberated through the tension.

** _"Raphael, since you have protected me against Samael's wrath for my sake and the humans, I will also have you as their protector and healer. You will have your own angels under your command to help you with this. You will have two hundred and fifty angels to start off with. You and your angels will be known as Guardian Angels."_ **

Raphael's eyes widened as he turned to face her, never moving his hand away from me, which I was grateful for, because if he did, I'm positive Samael's aura would've surely flattened me to the floor by now. "That many?"

_**"Yes, that many."**_ She chuckled.

"AGAIN! He asks a question and it's FINE! I ask a question and I get...get...pushed back!?"

_ **"You are asking questions filled with resentment. You are asking questions filled with envy. You are asking questions filled with wrath. You are asking questions filled with all manner of negative feelings. Gabriel, you shall be the messenger, Michael, you shall be their warrior, and Uriel, you will be their inspiration for creativity as far as colors, painting, inventing, and everything that doesn't involve them creating more humans."** _

"Wait, but isn't Raphael their warrior?"

_ **"Not in the way that you will be. He will guide them. He will give them options and he will help me test them. He will allow them to make their own choices, but he will present a choice that will be the best for them. He will advise them, and protect them from what I deem they need protection from. It is a bit different and I'll explain it to you later. Aziraphale will be his FIRST angel. I will pick him along with three other of Raphael's angels to guard the garden with flaming swords."** _

"Hello!? Am I just not here anymore!?"

_ **"Samael, you should go and cool your head. I can see that no matter what I say right now, you will not listen nor see. Go. Calm your heart and your mind. When you've done that, then we may speak again, but not until you can speak with me with a more understanding and calm demeanor. For now, I give you a new name, and the others will know of your new name, so that they know not to question my plans involving the humans. My ineffable plans and my Great plans. Your name is now Lucifer."** _

"You'll regret this, Lord! I will not be ignored! I will be answered!" He stomped off, leaving us with God, and slowly being relieved of the negativity of his aura.

_ **"Everyone but Aziraphale and Raphael, please leave."** _

"Yes, Lord." They nodded and practically vanished.

Raphael and I turned around to face God while Raphael was still holding his staff. It was a beautiful combination of gold and brown somehow with a thick winding streak of gold going from the bottom of the staff until it reached the very top of the staff._** "Aziraphale, you will guard the Eastern Gate."**_ She conjured a flaming sword and handed it to me slowly.

I swallowed a lump in my throat and accepted it. Once it was in my hands, it was surprisingly light. Almost like holding a star again. "Thank you, Lord. I will try my best."

_ **"I have no doubt that you'll try your best for the humans. Always. Now, Raphael, you already know much about plant life."** _

"Yes, Lord. I do, but that's all thanks to you teaching me."

_ **"Yes, and you'll need to retain all of that knowledge as well as this. There is a tree of life and a tree of knowledge in the Garden. They shouldn't eat from either. Do you understand?"** _

"How will I know which is which?"

_ **"They will have a golden aura around them. Now, I don't think I have to tell you how to protect the humans. I will leave that up to you. I'm going to finish up with the Earth and then I'll create humans. After that, I shall rest for a day."** _

"Understood, Lord. When are Aziraphale and I meant to go down to the Garden."

She snapped her fingers with a delighted chuckle and we were suddenly standing on top of a rather large wall. _**"Now."**_ Her voice echoed, but she wasn't there. Instead, it was a bright and shining light coming down from the sky. _**"I have also given you some extra knowledge about the Earth. As the humans name the plants and animals you will know as well. Everything else you will need to discover yourselves."**_

"Is there a way we can come back to Heaven?"

_ **"Just think of me with all your grace and soul, and you'll be home. To go back to Earth, all you need to do is the same thing. The wall you are on is your station, Aziraphale. This is the Eastern Gate. Raphael, you may wander the Garden as much as you wish, but when I make the humans, try and leave them be as much as possible."** _

"Understood, Lord." Raphael and I chorused as the light left.

It didn't take that long for God to finish with the Earth, but I think my favorite part about being on the Earth so far was looking up at the sky and seeing what Raphael and I helped God create. It all looked so different from here, but it was almost more beautiful than being surrounded by it. I didn't go back up to Heaven, but Raphael did. He wanted to talk to Lucifer even though God advised against it. The humans were to be created tomorrow. However, my thoughts weren't on the humans, but Raphael's absence. It's been quite some time since he did left. Drawing me out of my thoughts, I heard screaming followed by more screaming, then yelling, then clashing of weapons. I turned around to find Michael and her angels fighting Lucifer and his angels. It was horrible. I had heard that he had gathered other angels that sympathized with him, but for THIS to happen...tears started streaming down my face. Soon, Raphael quickly flew to my side. "Aziraphale!" He shouted, and it was almost like a plea. "God is going to do something to the other angels that have rebelled. I'm going to try and go fight off Lucifer, but I wanted to give you something before I do." He quickly grabbed my hand and put HIS ring on MY pinky finger! "I want you to have it. It's mine and I want you to have it. I don't know what will happen to me, but I went against God. I asked her questions about why and how long Lucifer would be punished, and I even went to go talk with him and his...friends even though I wasn't supposed to. However, I can't stand by any longer. I'm going to fight him."

"Wh-What!? No, y-you're making it sound like you're not coming back!"

"I don't know, Aziraphale. I don't know. Even if I do come back, I want you to keep it. Every Archangel has their marks of gold. Lucifer had his going around his upper arm, Gabriel has his as spirals across his chest, and I'm sure you saw Michael and Uriel's. Mine are wrapped around my whole torso like the golden line wrapped around my staff. I don't need anything Golden. Now, listen, if anything DOES happen to me I've told Gabriel to take you under his wing and I've told him that I'm giving you my ring. If I can I will come back to you, alright?"

"A-Alright." I nodded, but something in my chest felt like it was being pierced with every word he said to me.

"Good." He took off and joined the battle with his stardust covered wings carrying him into the fray.

The screams were horrible, they were piercing my chest, my grace, my very soul! The sight of fire caused me to cry. _'This is all because of Lucifer! If he hadn't been so...so rude and horrible, Raphael wouldn't be out there right now fighting him and angels wouldn't be hurting each other! Anyone who followed Lucifer is...they're...bad. Evil. Wrong. God said that that some of the emotions and actions Lucifer experienced were called Sin...they're sinful. They're awful!'_

_**"ENOUGH! I WILL NOT WATCH MY ANGELS FIGHT ANY LONGER!"**_ Everyone stopped immediately. _**"I HAVE CREATED A PLACE FOR LUCIFER AND HIS FOLLOWERS. HIS ANGELS. ANYONE WHO FOLLOWED LUCIFER WILL BE CALLED A DEMON. LUCIFER AND HIS DEMONS WILL GO TO A PLACE CALLED HELL. IT WILL BURN, ROT, AND THOSE WHO FALL THERE WILL NOT LOSE THEIR WINGS IF THEY ARE STILL IN TACT, BUT THEY WILL BE AS BLACK AS EBONY. DEVOID OF ANY OF MY LIGHT. THEY WILL NOT KNOW ME OR ANYTHING THAT IS BLESSED WITHIN MY NAME! THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN IN BATTLE WHETHER IT BE ON MY SIDE OR LUCIFER'S, THEY WILL BE ANNOUNCED DEAD...DECEASED. NOW, BEGONE!"**_

"D-Deceased!?" I whimpered out as I watched Lucifer and his angels be plunged into the ground, screaming, pleading, and crying, but it was no use. God has commanded it.

_ **"LISTEN WELL ALL WHO REMAIN. TRUST A DEMON AT YOUR OWN PERIL. IF A DEMON COMES TO ME FOR HONEST REDEMPTION THAT IS FOR ME TO DECIDE AND NONE OF YOU WILL INTERFERE! I WILL NOT MAKE A SPECTACLE OF IT! IF THERE IS A DEMON THAT STILL HAS FAITH AND STILL LOVES ME SOMEHOW, THEY ARE FOR ME TO JUDGE! YOU WILL NOT INTERFERE! You all still have free will so I cannot force you, but they are cruel, manipulative, and they will try to get back at us...mainly me. Be on your Guard. Especially the Guardians of Eden! Everyone but the Guardians of Eden, report back to Heaven at once! I will create humans tomorrow, and then I will rest."** _

My mind was reeling as I stood there, touching the ring on my pinky finger. _'Why...why does it hurt so much!?'_ I wondered. _'I don't know if he's fallen or if he's dead.' _I stayed like that for quite some times. The humans were eventually created and I peered over my wall to see them. They were fascinating, and I felt the ache in my chest ease. Adam was created first and then God created Eve. They were beautiful and literally made for each other. Thinking that, though, brought me back to my very brief time with Raphael, or at the very least it felt brief, and now I have his ring and I don't know if he'll come back, or if something horrible had happened to him.

I didn't have to wait long for the answer it seemed, as Gabriel came down to stand on the wall with me. "Aziraphale..." He started with a calm and sympathetic voice.

"N-No...he...where's Raphael? He's supposed to be here. He said he'd come back if he could..."

"And if he could..." Gabriel swallowed with saddened eyes. "...I'm sure he would, but he can't Aziraphale."

"Wh-What happened to him?" I felt as cold and bare as the nothing that Raphael and I were in just before creating the universe with God, and I despised the feeling.

"I was the last person who saw him fighting. He took on Lucifer by himself with his staff...Lucifer pierced his left shoulder. When I saw him, he was still breathing, but everyone who...who died...they all disappeared on point of death. I looked for him during the battle...but I didn't find him. I couldn't feel my brother's aura. I-I'm sorry, Aziraphale, but he's gone. God only knows what happened to him...literally. He asked me...he asked me to take you under my wing. Technically you're supposed to go with the new Archangel...Sandalphon, but...that's up to you."

"I...I think I would like to be under your wing so to speak if that's alright, but I would much rather also stay here with the humans. Raphael loved them so...I wish to stay on Earth."

He nodded his head with a sympathetic smile. "God thought you might say that, so she's given you a title Principality Aziraphale. You will be with the humans and you will report to either myself or ALL of the Archangels. Your miracles will be monitored unless God decides against it, in which, we just won't receive any notice that you've done any miracles. Enjoy your time on Earth, Aziraphale, and I'm sorry."

"Why are you saying sorry to me?" I scoffed in disbelief. "You lost your own brother!"

"You mean..." He furrowed his brow at me as he tilted his head. "...you don't know?"

"No what?" I wondered, but he quickly shook his head.

"No, it's not for me to say. I'm sorry. Well, I'll be checking on you every now and then. Farewell, Aziraphale."

"Farewell, Archangel Gabriel."

"Just Gabriel is fine." He nodded just before going back to Heaven, leaving me to mourn with a pain I didn't know was possible, which made me wonder just why did it hurt so much. I hadn't known him nearly as long as the others.


	2. Chapter 2

I heard something strange in the Garden, so I quickly turned around and saw something peculiar. It was a large black creature with no arms, legs, or even wings. It moved around on it's belly and seemed as if it had no bones as it moved about along the ground, up the trees, and down again to repeat the action. Then, I saw him move up a tree and lean his head towards Eve. After he did, she moved away and immediately bit into the apple from the tree of knowledge, which she WAS NOT supposed to eat from! She then gave it to Adam and he ate into it too. They then noticed that they were naked and tried to hide after sewing leaves together for clothing. God found out, wasn't please, made Eve pregnant, and decided to cast them out through my gate. I quickly flew down and gave them my sword. There were dark clouds overhead and I didn't know what they meant so I told them to not let the sun go down on them here.

I flew back up to the top of the wall and I couldn't stop thinking that perhaps giving them the sword God gave me was the wrong thing to do, but...I was supposed to be a Guardian Angel with Raphael. I would like to think he would've done the same thing, but I just didn't know and couldn't know with what happened. Before I realized it, that same snake slithered up the wall next to me and transformed into a demon. Hair scarlet as the bottom of a sunset, eyes, a piercing yellow that wasn't exactly sickening, but certainly strange, wings and robes black as ebony, and skin pale yet tan at the same time somehow. "Well, that went down like a lead balloon."

"Sorry, what was that?" I questioned, unable to hear him as I was focused on Adam and Eve walking away with my sword.

"I said well that went down like a lead balloon." He stated with a small smirk.

"Yes, YES! It did, rather." I agreed, because really...it had ever since Lucifer had his outburst.

"Bit of an overreaction if you ask me. First offense and everything. I can't see what's so bad about knowing the difference between good and evil anyway."

"Well it must BE bad...uh..."

"Crawley!" He offered, but there was a look in his strange eyes that seemed almost pained for some reason.

"Crawley..." I repeated before continuing. "...otherwise...you wouldn't have tempted them into it."

"Oh...well they just said get up there and make some trouble."

"Well, obviously. You're a demon. It's what you do." I told him bitterly, still feeling the immense pain that I still couldn't fathom quite yet.

"Not very subtle of the almighty, though. Fruit tree in the middle of the Garden with a 'don't touch' sign. I mean...why not put it on top of a high mountain? Or on the Moon? Makes you wonder what God's really planning."

"Best not to speculate." I snapped, quickly growing irritated by the demon next to me, but for some reason I found myself unable to tell Heaven that there was a demon here, or to even try and smite him myself. Sword or no, I would be able to do it, but I couldn't, and I didn't know why. Besides, he wasn't really attacking me. He was just being an irritating conversation partner. "It's all part of the Great Plan. It's not for us to understand. It's ineffable."

"The Great Plan's ineffable?"

"Exactly! It is beyond understanding and incapable of being put into words."

"Didn't you have a flaming sword?" He asked me, and suddenly I felt a chill rush through my chest.

"Uh..."

"You did! It was flaming like anything. What happened to it?"

"Uh..." I started a gain, but then I had a quick thought, _'Wait, how would he know that? Oh...he probably saw me during the battle.'_

"Lost it already, have you?" He challenged tilting his head up to look at me.

"I gave it away." I shouted, but my voice was somehow combined with a whimpering sound for some reason.

"You WHAT!?" His eyes went incredibly wide in pure shock and disbelief as he stared at me.

"I gave it AWAY! There are _vicious_ animals. It's going to be cold out there and she's expecting already, and I said 'Here you go. Flaming Sword. Don't thank me. And don't let the sun go down on you here.' I do hope I didn't do the wrong thing."

"Oh...you're an angel. I don't think you CAN do the wrong thing."

Astonishingly enough, his words were like a balm on my worried grace. "Oh! Oh! Thank-Oh Thank you. It's been bothering me."

"I've been worrying too." He admitted and there was something in his tone that made my grace shake. I guess it's because he's a demon and he's acting oddly kind and civil. "What if I did the right thing with the whole eat the apple business. A demon can get into a lot of trouble for doing the right thing. Be funny if we both got it wrong, eh? If I did the good thing and you did the bad one."

"No! It wouldn't be funny at all!" I exclaimed. I mean, to think such a thing would be funny, even for a demon. I'm sure they already have a punishment system in place for those that do...good or right, if what he said was true. That he could get in trouble for doing the right thing.

"Oh...well..." A sound above us resounded and boomed throughout the air, and I instantly knew it as Thunder, the light as lightning, and the water as rain. This was a thunderstorm, and from the looks of it, it was to be a fierce one. As the rain started to fall, I don't know what possessed me to do it, but I covered Crawley with my wing, shielding him from the rain. To say I was impressed that he stepped closer to me would be an understatement. "Thank you."

At that, my eyes shot wide at him and I gawked at him. "A demon being grateful?"

"Yes, actually." He huffed out. "I don't know much about this storm. For all I know this could be water directly from heaven."

"It's not." I chuckled out. "It's just rain, but I'll shield you from it anyway."

"Thank you. I like it better up here." He stated as he relaxed under my wing.

"Well, of course you would. I can't imagine what Hell is like. Nor falling for that matter." I shook my head as I ran a hand through my wet hair, but then I no longer felt the rain falling on my head. My shoulders and arms, yes, but not my head and face. I looked up and there was a black wing hovering over me.

"I'll make sure you don't fall. It's horrible."

"Why are you being...kind?" I asked him as I gave him a puzzled expression. I couldn't fathom why someone who would turn so harshly against God...why they would be kind to me, an angel of the lord, guarding the Eastern Gate of all places, even if he DID end up getting Adam and Eve kicked out.

"I'm a demon." He stated as if the fact pained him greatly. "Yet you, who was supposed to guard the Eastern Gate, have not smote me yet."

"I don't have my sword." I grumbled as I rolled my eyes.

The sound that erupted from his throat as he chuckled low sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn't place it. Perhaps it was one of the angels I had trained with before meeting Raphael. "We both know you don't need a sword to smite me, and even if you DID, you could've just as easily told Heaven I was here. God obviously knows, and as you are the guardian of the Eastern gate, She's leaving my life up to you at this point, I imagine."

"Tell me...what is Hell, like?" I asked, not knowing what to say to his statement.

"No." He shook his head. "I will not tell you."

"Why not!?" I gasped. "How dare you deny an angel of the Lord foul fiend!"

He turned his head towards me with an expression I would think a demon unable to make. Sympathetic. "You misunderstand. I am not merely denying to fill your curiosity, I mean that I will not tell you, because you have no reason to know. It would be best if you didn't. There's many reasons why I like it up here more than in Hell. The other fallen have adapted swifter than I could blink, and made themselves right at home, gaining titles of their own, dubbed by Lucifer himself. I am at the highest rank next to Lucifer since I can turn into an actual animal, I still have my powers, and I am not marred and scarred like all of the others. It is also why I was chosen to come topside to stir up some trouble. It's to my understanding that I'm to remain up here and keep an eye on the humans. See what they do, how they act, what they create, and so on. When they told me that, I couldn't get out fast enough. You don't want to know, and you won't have any reason of knowing. You're an angel."

"Yes, but I gave away my flaming sword. God gave me that especially for me job."

"I know, but I doubt she's going to fell you for that." He looked back out to the rain, letting out a silent sigh, but it was obvious by the rise and fall of his shoulders. "Say, did they ever say what may have happened to Raphael? The Archangel?"

"I..." My voice cracked as the pain came back to me tenfold, but he's been so civil so far, I figure it wouldn't do any harm to tell him. "...they said th-that h-he...that he died d-during the battle."

"Hmm..." He hummed low with a furrowed brow and an expression I couldn't read at all. "...is that so?"

"From what I was told by Gabriel, yes it was. He came to me to tell me himself. I am to stay here on Earth and watch the humans as well."

"Well, then I guess we'll be seeing a lot of each other." He stated calmly, but I noticed a look in his eyes that seemed like relief. If it was relief that Raphael was dead, I really would smote him on the spot. "I still can't believe you gave away a flaming sword, but at least...they'll be safe now."

"WHAT!?" I blinked at him with widened eyes several times. "What would a demon care for the safety of others!?"

"Think of it this way, without them able to protect themselves, I would have no one to keep an eye on, therefore, defeating my purpose and job. Same goes for you. However, this way, they can see the entire Earth if they wish to, and be able to protect themselves from the natural dangers it may provide. The fire from the sword will also keep them warm and give them light during the cold nights."

"You're a peculiar demon." I told him, unable to hide the small smirk that appeared on my face.

"That's okay, you're a peculiar angel. What's your name, anyway?"

"Aziraphale." I nodded, holding my hand out to him so that he could shake it.

He started moving his hand to shake it, but hesitated at least three times before taking my hand in his. We shook hands, and I felt something familiar, but I couldn't place it for the life of me. Whatever it was, it was gone when we released our hands. The only thing I could compare it to was when Raphael would put his hand on my shoulder, but that was entirely impossible. Raphael was dead, and this demon certainly wasn't him. Raphael would never become a demon. He was too good for that and he was always faithful and loyal. "Pleasure to meet you, Aziraphale."

"Wish I could say the same, but you're at least somewhat civil for a demon."

"Oh? And you've met other demons?"

I shook my head slowly. "Don't have to. I watched the battle from here. There was no mercy."

"That's for sure." I heard him grumble, but thought it best to not comment. He clearly had his opinions about it, and if he didn't even want to talk about what Hell was like, I highly doubt he wanted to relive the battle he took part in that led to his fall, which led to his severed ties to Heaven.

"May I ask you something?"

"You've been doing that so far. Don't see why not." He shrugged "If your wing is getting tired, you can let it down. Who knows, I might enjoy the rain."

"No, I'll keep it up for now, but my question is...do you remember Heaven? I heard that you were all quite cut off, but...do you remember Heaven?"

"I do." He nodded. "However, that's all I will say about it. Talking or thinking about what I used to have...is painful."

"Do you regret being in the battle, then?"

He gave a dry smirk that seemed more pained than amused. "I should've listened, but at least I'm still here."

It took many hours for the rain to let up, but we stood there in silence until it was over, admiring the lightning and thunder that came with it. Once it was gone and the night sky shone through, revealing the beautiful stars that I helped create, I noticed that Crawley was looking up as well. "Admiring the stars?"

"Yes. They're quite beautiful from here."

"I agree."

"Hmm..." He chuckled out warmly. "...and angel and a demon coming to an agreement. My, we make quite the ridiculous pair."

"We're not a pair, you and I." I stated matter-of-factly.

"No, of course not, but standing here, we're doing far better than either of our sides. We're getting along, you and I." He let out a heavy sigh that seemed to carry years worth of a pained soul for some reason, but I guess that's what happened when you're fallen. "Well, thank you for shielding me from the rain. I'll be off now. Until next time, Aziraphale."

I watched as he turned back into a snake and slithered down the edge of the wall. As he did so, I found myself fiddling with my ring. It brought me comfort and safety as I touched it, because it reminded me of Raphael, but it only made me wonder, just what was Raphael to me in those short days, in as little time that we spent with each other. I could still vividly remember every second we had together as we created the stars, but that made it all the more confusing, because my memories of him soon became the only memories that mattered. Perhaps I'll find out someday.

When morning came, God asked me where the sword she had given me was, and I...I lied! To the Lord! That demon WAS a bad influence after all! Well, that couldn't exactly be true...I was frightened of what she might do, but she must've known, which means...she knew I was lying. _'Well, this is either going to end well or badly.'_


	3. Chapter 3

I had watched the humans grow and multiply as God had created more and more humans as the humans created more themselves. I watched as they grew, created, invented, took care of each other and the animals as well as the plant life, but I also watched as they bickered with each other, hurt each other, and blatantly as well as vocally lashed out against God for many things. One day, Gabriel came to me telling me God's plan to get Noah to build an Ark that would house all kinds of animals, and it would hold his family as well. Then, she would wipe out all of the humans in the area with a large, deep, and harsh flood. I was to make sure that they received no hindrance of any kind.

Once the Ark was built and the animals were getting aboard, there were many humans gathered with their children and animals, taunting and ridiculing Noah and his family. Calling them all horrible names. "Hello, Aziraphale!" I heard Crawley come up behind me with a smug smile.

"Crawley." I acknowledged as he stepped a bit closer.

"So, giving the mortals a flaming sword...how did that work out for ya?" I hated how smug he sounded, but of course he sounded a bit smug with what I've done. He's a demon, it's practically ingrained in them now to be smug, isn't it?

"Well...the almighty has never actually mentioned it again." I told him truthfully.

"Probably a good thing." He muttered, but then seemingly couldn't take the curiosity any longer before asking me, "What's all this about? Build a big boat and fill it with a traveling zoo?"

However, despite how much his smugness irritated me, I couldn't stay mad at him for long or even really irritated. It was strange, but his presence was almost a natural one since the wall. I hadn't seen him since after until now, which made it even stranger, but I answered him anyway. "From what I hear...God's a bit tetchy. Wiping out the human race. Big storm."

"All of them!?" He exclaimed, and if I didn't no any better, I would say that the thought of that nearly physically pained him, but that couldn't be. Demons didn't care about the humans. They were angels that fell, because they rebelled against God, BECAUSE of their opinions about the humans.

"Just the locals." I told him with a slightly shaky voice. "I don't believe the Almighty's upset with the Chinese or Native Americans...or the Australians."

"Yet." He spat out with a feeling of slight resentment coming off him.

_'Hmm...odd...'_ I quickly continued, trying to shake away my pondering thoughts before they even started. "And God's not actually going to wipe out ALL the locals. I mean, Noah, up there...his family, his son, their wives...they're all going to be fine."

"But...they're DROWNING everybody else!" He argued as if personally insulted. Then, I notice he looked at the children who were playing with their animals, and I could feel something shatter in the aura around him. "Not the kids...you can't kill kids!"

"Mmm-Hmm." I nodded my head as I tried to place what exactly had shattered. I hadn't gained the ability to feel auras until AFTER the war, but that was the same for ALL angels now. We could feel auras now, but mostly we could feel love as we are beings of love, but that's not what shattered.

"Well, that's more the kind of thing you expect my lot to do."

"Yes, but when it's done, uh...the Almighty's going to put up a new thing called a 'Rain Bow', as a promise not to...drown...everyone again."

"How Kind!" He drawled out with a highly unamused tone, sarcasm dripping like the venom I'm sure his snake form had.

"You can't judge the Almighty Crowley. God's plans are-"

"Are you going to say ineffable?" He glared at me, which made me nearly silent myself from how intense his serpent-like gaze was. It was almost as piercing as the sun if one looked up for too long. It burned with irritation and agitation.

"Possibly." I muttered, but I knew he heard it.

"Oi! Shem! That Unicorn's going to make a run for it! Oh, it's too late...It's too late! Well, you still got one of them!"

Thunder clapped over our heads and big globes of rain drops fell on us. Bigger than usual. We looked around and noticed that the locals had a look of realization and they all tried to rush for the Ark, but as the last animal boarded, Noah closed the door to the Ark. "Crawley, I think we should go."

"Kids, Aziraphale! Children! Babies! Infants! Do they mean nothing to you!?" He shouted at me as he looked around frantically.

"HOW COULD THEY MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU!?" I shouted back. "How could the humans mean anything more to you than more to tempt into sin!? Don't pretend that you care about them, Crawley! Don't pretend that you're anything more than a demon!" The words that came out of my mouth send a horrible pain in my chest as if it were wrong to tell him such things, but it wasn't. It was the truth. So, I was continuously confused by my forms reactions to him. Not wanting to speak anymore, I flew off towards the Ark, knowing Noah was expecting an angel to help him keep an eye on the animals, and I pushed Crawley as far out of my mind as I could.

After a few days, I decided to go down to the lowest part of the Ark, to see how it was holding up, when I heard voices that I shouldn't have been hearing. I pressed my ear against the door, and listened. "Crawley, does God hate us?"

_'THAT'S A CHILD! A CHILD TALKING TO CRAWLEY!'_ As much as I wanted to burst in there and throw the wily serpent out, I kept my ear to the door to listen intently for what a DEMON'S answer would be.

"No." He answered and I could hear the soft guilty smile in his voice, but his answer alone was enough to have my grace thudding and thrumming in my chest. It certainly wasn't the answer I had expected. "God doesn't hate you. I think God got upset, perhaps sad, or maybe even angry, but no, God doesn't and won't ever hate you. God's not capable of hate."

_'H-How can a demon say such things?'_ I wondered as tears slid down my face from hearing such conviction.

"Our families..." An older voice spoke, but it was still rather young. A child closer to the age of twelve perhaps. "...they...they all drowned. Could you not save them?"

"No, I'm sorry. I wish I could've. I gathered as many of you as I could and snuck you in here as best I could."

"The angel up there." A boy's voice was heard, perhaps the age of seven, and the more voices I heard, the more I wondered just how many children did a DEMON...SAVE. "He doesn't want us here, does he?"

"Perhaps not, but I'm sure if he could, he would've allowed you and your families aboard the Ark as well. He has a good heart. He's kind. He's just doing what he's told, kind of like how all of you had done what your parents have told you."

"If he comes down here...if he sees us...will you fight him?"

"I...I can't fight him. I'm sorry."

_'WHAT!? WHY!? YOU'RE A DEMON!'_

"So...if he sees us and throws us out..."

"I will do everything I can to convince him to let you stay, but I won't physically fight him. I have my reasons and I can't."

"Are you an angel, Crawley?" An innocent sounding girl asked.

"I used to be." He stated with a pained tone of regret. It seemed that anytime his old life or the fall was brought up, it hurt him to some degree. "I'm not anymore. I'm a demon. Does that scare you? Does it scare any of you?"

I heard at least ten voices say 'no' in their own ways. "It's weird though." An older boy's voice commented. "You're a demon. You even got the eyes of a snake, but...a demon wouldn't save seventeen children."

_'S-Seventeen!? With the flood waters!? With how much they could've weighed one after the other!? His wings must've been strained beyond belief! Must STILL be stained!'_

"I suppose not, but I'm a bit different."

"How are you different?" An older girl's voice questioned curiously, and frankly, at this point, I eagerly wanted to know as well.

"I just am. I'm one of a kind, and be grateful too. The other demons would've probably just watched you drown."

"We are grateful, but we're also curious." A more mature voice of a young woman, but not quite an adult sounded.

"I understand that, but some things...aren't meant to be said. So, who would like a story?"

They all cheered and I found myself sitting down on the other side of the door, wondering what a story was, and how he would go about telling one to SEVENTEEN children. "Can you tell us the one about the snake and the dove?" One child asked.

"Oh! I've always like that one! You used to tell it all the time around the large fire that our parents would set up for celebrations!"

_'WAIT A MINUTE! THE CHILDREN KNEW HIM!? BEFORE THE FLOOD!? AND THEY ONLY THOUGHT NOW TO ASK IF HE WAS A DEMON OR NOT!? More importantly...HE KNEW THEM AND THEY KNEW HIM!?'_

"Alright, so, I'm guessing I'll be telling the story of the snake and the dove?"

"YES, PLEASE!"

"Shh!" I heard Crawley warn, then I heard something I thought I would never hear again. I heard a laugh that I hadn't heard since that laugh was next to me creating the stars. It was warm, grand, kind, and filled with mirth. It was SO similar, but it was completely impossible, which made the laugh, that was like a balm to me...it also tortured me right down to my soul! "You need to be quiet. You're not supposed to be here." Even the slight chuckle that came after was so similar, making my soul and grace ache even further, but I still wanted to hear what the children called a story.

"Sorry, Crawley." One of the children giggled, warming and easing my heart greatly.

"It's alright. Now...there once was a beautiful dove, wings as white as the fluffy clouds you've seen in the sky, and there was also once a snake with scales as black as night on top of it's body while his belly was as red as the bottom of a sunset. The snake wasn't very well liked, you see, because he was, in fact, a snake, but that didn't stop him. He was a curious snake, and sometimes his curiosity got the better of him and landed him into some serious trouble. One day, the snake found that it was going to rain. It was going to be a loud and terrible storm, and he didn't know much about storms at the time, because everything was still quite new to him in the world. Then, without warning...can anyone tell me what happens next?"

"Oh! I can!" A boy happily exclaimed, causing me to smile brightly at all of this. "Then, without warning...there was a beautiful white dove that flew over head and he saw the snake looking around for shelter, but there wasn't much to be found where he was at."

"That's right!" A girl cheered. "...and the dove swooped down and covered the snake with his wing."

_'Wh-What!? But that sounds like...'_

"Very good." Crawley chuckled out. "Then, the snake looked at the dove and he realized he knew the dove. So, despite how much distrust other doves would've shown the snake or others in general, he felt he could trust the dove."

"Oh! I know what happens next!" A young girl giggled.

"Alright, Shinna...what happened next?" Crawley questioned with what sounded like pride, but a good kind.

"The dove helped guide the snake to a cave where they could both wait for the storm to pass, because it was getting worse. Once they were in the cave, the dove lowered his wing after shaking the water off. Then, the snake sensed danger. He slithered up until he was standing tall with all of his muscles, hissing at the danger behind him and the dove, and that's when a large hideous red snake appeared!"

"Yeah, and..." Another young girl started. "...and the large snake tried to go after the dove, tried to trick it, tried to speak to it, and tried to tempt it into doing something so that he could later EAT the dove! But the smaller snake, the good snake, wasn't going to let the large snake do that. He wrapped himself around the dove, while fending off the large snake."

"Very good, everyone!" Crawley congratulated. "What happened next, Senna?"

"O-Oh...u-um...well..." Her voice was shy and quiet, but also kind. "...the um...the smaller snake soon defeated the larger snake, and once the large snake was dead, he uncoiled himself, allowing the dove to go free and fly off, thinking that perhaps the dove was afraid of him, but when he didn't fly away, but stayed and talked with him, he decided he would always protect the dove as much as he could when he could, not knowing that um...that the dove made a promise to always show the snake kindness and compassion however and whenever he could."

"That's right, and they stayed friends forever!" Crawley stated matter of factly, causing everyone to cheer, but he soon had to silence them again. However, I couldn't help it anymore. I stood up and opened the door, causing all of the children to get behind Crawley, who immediately went into defensive mode, his wings instantly out and terrifying as they guarded the children.

_'Hmf...he would've done Raphael proud, that's for sure.' _I thought before closing the door behind me. "So, Crawley...may I ask what all of these children are doing here?"

"Aziraphale, I won't fight you. I don't want to fight you, but these kids...these children...I know them. I won't tell you how, and I'll ask them not to tell you as well, but I know them. I couldn't just watch them drown. I-I couldn't!" I noticed something that left me feeling cold, empty, and completely ashamed. There were tears slowly streaming down his face. I didn't know demons could express such emotion. As I stepped forward his aura was swimming with an endless plea to just leave him and the children be. He was on his knees, so I had to crouch down onto my own so that I could carefully wipe away his tears, earning a shocked and shuddering gasp from him. "A-Aziraphale?"

"I'm not going to hurt you or the children. I won't tell Noah they're here, but they have to stay quiet all the way until the animals are off the Ark, because by that time, Noah will be off the Ark as well. I'll come back for all of you when you can come out."

"Wh-Why are you...?" He grabbed my wrist, and it wasn't harshly, but with a gentleness that left my grace pounding in my chest for some reason.

"I looked at his hand before looking at him, and I smiled at him knowingly. "Hmm...well...I think the story of the Snake and the Dove should have the answer you're looking for."

I watched as his eyes widened with realization before he let out a huff of relieved laughter. "Thank you, Aziraphale." He breathed out as he made his wings return to his back until they were no longer visible. "Alright, everyone, you heard the angel. You have to stay as quiet as possible."

"Okay." They all whispered as they nodded their heads with relieved smiles.

"Good luck, Crawley." I told him before leaving him with the children. I looked at my wrist as I leaned against the closed door behind me. _'Is it possible to feel the same warmth from a different person? And...what is this specific warmth called? It feels like love...but it...it's not the kind I know.'_ I held my wrist to my chest before going back up to Noah's family.


	4. Chapter 4

I was walking through a city after finishing an assignment for two miracles when I heard people shouting, yelling, being profane, while others were crying, pleading, and questioning. _'Well, that's an odd and familiar situation.'_ I thought to myself as I made my way towards the commotion. 'Wasn't this where Jesus was staying?' I wondered as the crowd grew denser. I used a small miracle to cause the people to feel a need to part just for a moment to let me through, but not enough of a miracle that they would notice. Once I saw what the commotion was about, my grace ached. Jesus was carrying a cross...he was going to be crucified...and he was dirty as well as bloody. I followed the crowd, never taking my eyes off him, but then I noticed someone also walking along the crowds as well as alongside Jesus, and I could feel power pouring off of him. Humans wouldn't be able to feel it, see it, or even understand it...not unless they were gifted to, but...it was coming off of Crawley of all people. It was...good. Once we passed the threshold to where he would be crucified, Crawley stayed behind for a moment, and as I passed through his aura, it felt almost...sorrowful.

As he was getting crucified, I felt Crawley's aura coming closer until I finally heard him speak. "Come to smirk at the poor bugger, have you?"

"Smirk!? Me?" I asked him, unable to believe his words. _'I saw you walking alongside Jesus, using your powers!? I'm not here to smirk and neither are you! You should know better than to think that I would smirk at this! Wait...why should you know better? We've only spoken twice before this...'_

"Well, your lot put him there."

"I'm not consulted on policy decisions, Crawley."

"Oh, I've changed it."

"Changed what?" I wondered as I continued to watch him get crucified. It was horrible, but at least he would know there was an angel here to witness it, I suppose.

"My name. Crawl-y just wasn't doing it for me. It's a bit too...squirming-at-your-feet-ish."

"Well, you were a snake. So what is it now? Mephistopheles? Asmodeus?"

"Crowley."

"Hmm..." The nails were heard once more along with Jesus' cries and I flinched from the sound. "Did you uh...ever meet him?"

"Yes. Seemed a very bright young man. I showed him all the kingdoms of the world."

"Why?" I questioned with awed confusion. _'You're a demon...why would you show him something that...wonderful?' Why were you nice to the children on the Ark? Just what kind of demon are you!?'_

"He's a carpenter from Galilee. His travel opportunities were limited." At Crowley's words, Jesus was lifted up, crying out in pain, and I stepped slightly closer towards Crowley. Then, he did something completely unexpected. He placed his hand on my shoulder, and the ache in my grace was soothed.

_'No! Don't do that! You don't get to do that! Raphael was the one who could do that! You're not him! He's dead! How are you, a demon, even doing this! Get your hand off me!'_ My mind was running rampant and if it could, it would've smote Crowley right then and there, but I could also somehow hear my soul calmly saying, _'This is relaxing, calming, comforting. You know this feeling.'_ My soul and mind were practically arguing with each other, but because of how soothing it really was, I relaxed and allowed it. It was strange that Crowley could offer this, and I was brought back to a question I asked myself as I left the children with him on the Ark, but this time it was revised a bit. _'Is it possible that more than one person is able to offer the same comfort?'_

As the people dispersed, even Jesus' mortal family, Crowley stayed there, never taking his hand off of my shoulder. As the last person left, and soon was out of sight, he let out a heavy sigh. "Are you alright, Aziraphale?"

"Why do you care? You're a demon." As I was quickly aware of my words, I regretted them as he slowly removed his hand, making the guilt and sorrow crash onto me like the waves from the flood many many years ago. _'Stupid! He cares! Somehow...somehow he's capable of caring! You saw it for yourself on the Ark!'_

"It's just a question, Aziraphale."

"A question that a demon like you shouldn't be asking." I shook my head, feeling my soul thrashing about, telling me to stop being foolish for some reason.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

My eyes widened as I turned to look at him. His words weren't harsh, defensive, or even offensive. He genuinely wanted to know. I let out an irritated huff, because that's all I could manage at the moment. "What I mean, Crowley, is that I don't understand why you were using your powers to heal Jesus' pain, why you were easing his suffering as he was carrying his cross, and as we continued walking, he sent you a look, and you suddenly stopped...as if he..."

"He asked me to stop, so I did." He stated matter-of-factly as if it wasn't the most bizarre thing I've ever heard coming from a demon. If anything, a demon should be reveling in Jesus' suffering, but not him.

"That's what I'm talking about. Demons...they're not...I mean...we were told that...demons wouldn't be capable of such things as caring, kindness, compassion, or even sympathy. Yet...you are capable of such things somehow. I don't understand it. I can't fathom it. It's...ineffable."

"Oh, I _hate_ that word." He groaned out. "Look, I'm different okay?" He snapped, slightly irritated.

"I know, but that's what I'm trying to figure out. How are you different? WHY are you different!?"

"Angel, calm down." He breathed out, and I felt patience throughout his aura, making me ashamed for my LACK of it.

"Right, sorry, it's just...you're so different. Not at all what I expected, and you're not what we were told."

"Oh, I am. Through and through. I tempt, cause mischief, and do my job as a demon. In fact, I'm the best at it from what I hear."

"But you're here with me at Jesus' crucifixion, you saved-" I was instantly silenced with Crowley's hand covering my mouth as the most serious look crossed his features.

"Don't. Don't say that. Don't finish that sentence. Don't talk about me being good or nice. I'm a demon, I'm not nice."

I nodded my head, my grace thrumming against my chest, causing a strange shiver going down my spine. When he released his hand I let out a sigh of relief. "Fine, I...I won't say anything about it right now, but Crowley...I do want to ask again, why do you care? Why did you place your hand on my shoulder?" When I looked at his eyes, I noticed they widened a considerable amount with a look of familiarity, realization, and...regret? Why, though?

He shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose as he let out another heavy sigh, but this one seemed like one of defeat as well. "Jesus was a bright young man. I told you that. I knew him for a while and he knew me. He also was able to tell who I was before I fell."

"So...you really do remember who you were before you fell?"

He turned to face me, and I had never seen such sorrow in any one person before. The smile he gave was so false it caused me to ache. "I could never forget my time as an angel. There's no way I would want to either."

"That's just...strange." I croaked out. "So...he knew your original name, then?"

"Yes. I'm here, because it's...I guess...as a way to repay that. As for why I put my hand on your shoulder...impulse? I guess..." He shrugged his shoulders. "Right, I really don't want to talk about this. So...are you alright, Aziraphale?"

I let out a soft chuckle. _'I'm never going to figure it out...am I?'_ I shook my head for a moment before looking at him again. "This...this was extremely disheartening, but...at least I was here for it. I never met him, but I knew of him, watched him, and helped keep some people off of him."

"You would've like him." He smirked, but there was no mirth or even a smidgen of joy in his statement. "C'mon, Angel, join me for a drink."

"I..." I winced slightly at the offer. "...really shouldn't."

"Jesus turned water into wine, Angel. You can at least drink that. It will relax you. Just one glass, and if you don't like it, I won't bother you about it again."

"Oh..." I clenched my hands as I heard my mind say, 'You're an angel, you really shouldn't.' Then, I heard my grace say, 'He's offering a chance at relaxation and comfort.' After that was my soul, 'You can't help it. There's something about it. Try going along with it and see where it leads.' For some reason my grace and soul were saying around the same thing. "...fine."

At my words, there was nearly an entire physical shift. His eyes widened with surprise, but this time, rather than intense sorrow and the want for avoidance of conversation, there was joy. "Right, I know just the place. You're going to like it, Aziraphale."

"I'm sure." I nodded my head as I followed him.

Once we reached our destination, we stepped through and instantly I noticed that there were many people already inebriated. I could also hear a lot of people talking about Jesus' crucifixion as if it were a triumph or as if he were an irritating menace. I then felt Crowley's hand on my shoulder again, but this time, my mind, grace, and soul stayed silent as the sound of everyone's voices started to drown out until all I heard were the silly, joyful, and mirthful drunks. _'Why and How is he doing this? Perhaps it was something advanced angels knew...maybe it wasn't JUST Raphael. That's the only thing that makes sense, and this demon...Crowley...kept his powers. Perhaps all of them did. The only one I've met so far is him, so I can't say for sure. So...it must've been an advanced angel thing.'_ With my logic sound and locked away, I didn't mind it anymore, even if it did remind me an awful lot of Raphael, which sent a pang of something into my grace. "Not here." I heard him say calmly. "We'll go upstairs. You don't need to listen to this, Angel."

"You've somehow silenced the naysayers."

"I'll explain it in a moment." He guided me to the counter, I vaguely heard him ask for a whole bottle of wine, watched him pay, and allowed him to guide me upstairs. Once we were in one of the bedrooms, he released my shoulder, and the world was full of sound again, but downstairs was a low roar, and I was unable to discern topics of discussion, much to my relief. "Right, ask away. Depending on your question, depends on my answer."

"O-Okay..." I stuttered out as he got out two glasses, set them on the table in the middle of the room, and poured the wine into them. "How are you able to...to put your hand on my shoulder and calm me or even make it to where I don't hear anything negative? Was that some kind of advanced thing when you were an angel? Did advanced angels have that ability?"

"Yes, it was something advanced angels could do." He sat down in one of the chairs at the table.

"So...you're older than me, then?" I asked as I sat down in the chair across from him.

"Considering you're asking me that question, I would say so." He took a drink of the wine from his glass, so I did the same, and I actually found it to taste quite nice. "So, how do you like the wine?"

"I...it's good!"

"Thought so." He chuckled warmly. "Anymore questions, Angel?"

"Yes, well...I was wondering...did you know me in Heaven?"

He let out a snort of laughter, but I couldn't tell why. "Everyone knew you, Angel. You were the only lesser or new angel that Raphael would speak to. Raphael was only known to speak to five people before you. Michael, Lucifer, Uriel, Gabriel, and God Herself. He didn't speak to other angels. He kept to himself a lot. Many angels admired him for it, and thought him mysterious. They adored him for his powers, status, and his caring nature. You see, even though he didn't speak to any other angels but the Archangels, he still showed compassion to the others with his actions. Then, you come alone, bump into him, and he spoke to you. It created an upset, but a mild one. Mostly people wondering what was so special about you. Rude things were said, but they were silenced soon enough. Everyone knew your name. Aziraphale...the first lesser angel that Raphael ever spoke to. It continued after you met him. Once word got out that you were to be his FIRST angel in his garrison or army...whatever...they all continued to wonder what it was about you that was so different, so special, so remarkable that you would not only catch the attention of Raphael, but of God Herself. Then, you get the honor of guarding the eastern gate of Eden where her newest creation was to live. So...everyone knew you, Angel."

"Hmm..." I took a drink of my wine, realizing that wasn't EXACTLY a yes or no, but I suppose it was close enough to a yes if everyone knew me, because Raphael spoke to me. "...alright, are you the only demon with your powers intact?"

"No." He sighed out as he looked at his wine glass. "I am not." He took a big gulp of his wine before continuing. "Everyone else still has the powers they fell with. Whether they use it or not, that's up to them, but I can tell you that they mostly use it for tempting, sins, and for...torture."

"TORTURE!?"

"Yup." He nodded as the 'p' sound on the end of the word made a loud sarcastic popping sound. "If you end up doing something that Hell doesn't like, or if you're a poor human soul that gets sent to Hell, there are demons that take personal pleasure in making you suffer. I've been on the receiving end more than a few times."

"WHAT!? WHY!?" I gasped, but then I realized it was probably due to one of them seeing him doing something nice or even remotely positive.

"Just because they can." He shrugged as if it was nothing, but his answer made my grace flare with fury and sorrow, but I couldn't explain why it would react in such a way. Sorrow, sure, because frankly, that's sad enough as it is, but the fury was nearly a vengeful one. "They also don't like it that I don't look like them. They have to make a physical effort to not look marred and scarred. I don't. All of me is still intact. Even my wings...well...mostly." The last two words were muttered with a sense of loss that I couldn't understand, but more importantly, didn't want to. "They would...have fun...with me if I didn't deliver or meet up to their standards, but I think what always manages to piss them off to an endless degree was that the damage they would inflict on other demons...healed after every injury. They couldn't cause each other permanent pain to each other, which only spurred further torture, but also made the torturers sadistic desire insatiable. Anyway, this isn't really something you need to know." He finished his wine glass only to refill it.

"Alright, well...did you um..." I took another drink of my wine to try and steady myself for the next question. "...during the battle...between the angels...do you happen to remember seeing Raphael during it?"

He looked up at me with a look of, 'Do you really want to know?' As he rose an eyebrow at me, and yes, I wanted to know. The first thing I knew after leaving the boring training halls was the Archangel Raphael, who seemed to hold a high regard for me if Crowley's words were anything to go by, and we created together, but as we created, my grace and soul thrummed like music in the air, and we were the dancers...despite not being able to dance. "Well..." He started. "...Raphael...he went up to Lucifer, attempted to get him to stop, to see reason, but he didn't want to listen. He was angry, wrathful, and no longer held any love for Raphael. He called Raphael a traitor to him, but Raphael was still desperate for him to listen, but before he could say another word, Lucifer plunged his sword into Raphael. At that point, just like all of the other angels, he was in God's hands as his body vanished later in the battle."

"I...I see."

"Aziraphale, can I ask you something...a bit personal?"

My eyes widened a bit past my graceache, but I guess humans would call it heartache. "You're a demon. Don't you always ask questions?" I offered with a false smirk.

"Fair enough." He chuckled low. "My question is...did you love Raphael?"

"Come again?" I blinked in shock, because out of any of the questions in the world that the demon could've asked me...a question about love at all was NOT what I expected.

"I asked if you loved Raphael, and I don't mean the love you have for all things, I mean the way humans sometimes love each other. Romantically. Did you love him romantically?"

"W-Well...I...I wouldn't even know the signs for it...would you?"

"Of course." He shrugged with a nonchalant look in his eyes. "As demons, we're meant to mess up and destroy love, so to know that, we would have to know the signs for it. It should be no different for angels, except for instead of a heart, it would be your grace. Your grace would feel warm in their presence, you would feel comforted by just a simple glance, their words would soothe you more than anything else in the world, you would want to touch them, to hear them, to be with them, to simply be next to them. You would find them to be the most important person in your life, you would give anything to hear them happy, joyful, mirthful, or to simply see them smile. Seeing them sad would cause you a type of ache that enveloped not just your grace, but your soul as well, and you at first might not understand why, but it's there. Being around the person you love makes your grace and soul practically sing, and...there's a bunch of other things, I'm sure, but that's all this demon is willing to describe at the moment."

I couldn't believe it. My breath was stolen more and more with every single thing he listed off, because all of that...all of that meant that I loved Raphael romantically, but the description of it that really left me completely without air was the fact that I was slowly starting to feel those things with Crowley, but...that couldn't be possible, could it? You couldn't feel romantic love for more than one person, could you? I furrowed my brow as I looked at Crowley, and since he asked me the question anyway, I decided to answer. "I-If what you're saying is true, then...yes. I did love him very much, still do, in fact, but he's gone. Say, Crowley?"

"Hmm?" He questioned with widened eyes that were now completely unreadable.

"Is it possible to love more than one person romantically?"

"'Course it isssss."

"Why are you hissing?" I smirked with a risen brow, finding it highly amusing.

"Happensssss when I sssstart to get tipsssy...then drunk. Onccce I'm drunk the hissssing'll sssstop and I'll jusssst talk like a normal drunk. I've had three glassessss so far, and you've not finisssshed your one! Anyway, 'courssse it'ssss posssible. Sometimesss that'sss how usss demonsss tempt! When humanssss love more than one perssson romantically...that'sss when we placccce lusssst. That'sss how we messs with love, but it'sss possible. However, there'ssss a small thing that makessss it NOT lussst."

"Oh? What's that?" I asked as I took another drink of my wine, finally finishing it, but before I could even ask Crowley to refill it, he already was.

"That'sssss if you've moved on from the one you loved before the new persssson. You could've known the new perssson while you knew the old perssson, but if you've moved on from them becausssse they either died, or they're not around, or you jsssust don't feel ASSS much love for them asss you feel for the new...then it'ssss sssstill love and can't be messsssed with properly. It'sssss called finding a new love."

_'No...No, no, no, no, no, NO! That's not possible! It CAN'T be possible! Not HIM of all beings!'_ I frantically thought as my mind also went back to how I felt when we met on the wall, when I discovered him on the Ark, and the feeling I got as we interacted with one another at Jesus' crucifixion...and even now. The pain of the loss of Raphael had dulled somewhat and I found myself looking back on him fondly more than depressingly, so that was a form of moving on. _'Moving on like that...and how I feel now...but that shouldn't be possible! No, I refuse!'_ At my last thought I had another one, due to how well he described it and despite everything that's unfathomable about him, I found this particular topic unfathomable for any demon...UNLESS he's experienced it. "Have you been in love, Crowley? Romantically speaking, of course."

"Why do you want to know, Angel?"

_'He didn't answer.'_ I thought to myself with a suspicious hint of realization, but I kept on. "You know a lot about it. I understand knowing it to make the humans tempted, but the way you speak about it is further than knowing for knowledge's sake. That's knowing, because you've personally known what it's felt like. So, I was wondering if-"

"Yes." He interrupted me as he looked at his now empty wine glass, and considering he didn't hiss the answer, I assumed he was finally drunk. "I have."

For some reason his answer hurt me inside, which only further made me realize what I was feeling for Crowley, but I wouldn't let myself. I can't. He's a demon. He's the enemy. I shouldn't even BE here with him. I should've reported him on the wall and during the Ark, and even now! I'm meant to thwart him! I shouldn't be drinking with him! I won't let myself feel it. If I do, I'll push it back. Besides, there's no way a demon could feel love anyway, but just to be sure... "Did you fall in love as a demon?"

"No." He smirked. "Was before I fell. Now, I really don't want to continue this conversation, Angel."

"Fair enough. Must've been easy for you to move on, being a demon and all. Did they fall too?"

"No, they didn't." He replied coldly, causing a shiver of warning to rush down my spine. "Now, enough, Aziraphale. I said I didn't want to talk about it anymore. Asking me questions while I'm...I'm drunk is taking advantage of me, and I gets it, I'm a demon, yous could learn lots, but don't. I'm asking yous, Angel, please stop asking abouts it."

"I'm sorry." I meant it, too. I shouldn't have pressed him after he said he didn't want to talk about it. It's just...I shouldn't be feeling what I'm feeling for the demon. What I started feeling when I met him on the wall, and I shouldn't have felt it that quickly back then, but I had. I had felt it for someone, who I couldn't feel it at all anymore. He could express kindness and compassion, which was completely strange for a demon, but love would be completely out of the question. He just merely has the memory of the feeling, that's all.

"Enough of this..." He grumbled. "...let me ask you a question, Aziraphale."

"Alright." I nodded my head. It seemed only fair.

"I'm a demon, you're an angel. You should smite me on sight. You shouldn't be talking with me. You shouldn't be drinking with me. You shouldn't be indulging me in conversation and pleasantries. I, myself, shouldn't be doing the same with you, but this is about you at the moment. Why are you with me right now? Why did you let me get away with the kids on the Ark? Why didn't you smite me on the wall or just report me? I don't remember if I asked that last one or not, but it's on my mind...so why?"

"Well...I..." My mind went blank for answers as my grace and soul began to panic. _'REALLY!? YOU ASK ME THAT NOW!? I'M TRYING __**NOT**__ TO THINK ABOUT IT, YOU WILY SERPENT!'_

"You know what, forget I asked. I'm probably better off not knowing, or perhaps I already do." He looked into his nearly empty wine glass, and smiled sadly. "Yeah, I know it. You're just nice and good. That's all. Anyway, I'm about to head to bed. Stay if you want, but I'm gonna sleep this off."

"No, I'll leave you to sleep. I wasn't aware demons could, but I suppose that's sloth for you."

"That's right." He nodded before getting up and crashing onto the bed.

I left the room and the entire place with more questions than answers, and a furiously frustrated grace and soul. _'It's just not possible. It CAN'T be possible! Not with him!" _As I walked out of the city I looked back and groaned._ 'Why did it have to be him!? Surely it's just a mistake? Yeah...'_ I nodded my head. _'That's it. I'm still troubled over Raphael after all. I haven't quite moved on from him, and he has similarities, which are apparently just advanced angel things and the scene with the Ark, perhaps he was one of Raphael's other angels, but he fell in the battle, siding with Lucifer. That must be it. I'm not actually in love with him. Yeah, that's silly. Preposterous.'_

With my mind made up that it was just a matter of circumstance and coincidence, I continued out of the city without another thought about it. Instead, I focused on my next miracle mission in the next city. I was to do four miracles there. It would take a lot of concentration. So...no time for thoughts of demons or the impossible.


	5. Chapter 5

As the years passed, I kept up with the style as much as I could so as to not look suspicious, and because of the miracles I was needed to perform, I found myself in Rome eight years after Jesus' crucifixion. Apparently Rome was in a high demand for miracles for some reason, but either way, I was here, and after Crowley introduced me to wine, something created by the humans, I thought that perhaps I would try the food they made as well. I tried THAT about half a year after drinking the wine, and I enjoyed every bit of it. I decided that I should try everything they made. My excuse was so that I could blend in with the humans, because frankly, it would seem rather suspicious and ridiculous if someone who looked like a human never seemed to eat or drink. The reality of it was that it was all so remarkably delicious.

Either way, I just finished up a miracle and I was taking the time to relax some. I found something that was like a game you could play by yourself, so I started doing that when I heard Crowley's voice. "What have you got?" I looked up and noticed him looking at me and he had those things on his face people were calling sunglasses or something like that. It was meant to protect ones eyes from the sun, but I suppose his was to shield the look of his eyes from others. "Give me a jug of whatever you think is drinkable."

"Jug of house brown. Two sesterces." The woman behind the counter stated.

At that, I walked up to him and greeted him. "Crawley, Crowley!" I quickly corrected myself. "Well, fancy, running into you...here. Still a demon then?"

Crowley immediately put his cup down and turned to face him. "What kind of stupid question is that? 'Still a de-' What else am I gonna be? An Aardvark!?"

"Salutaria." I told him as I lifted the cup he gave me. "In Rome long?"

"Just nipped in for a quick temptation. You?"

"Well, I thought I'd try Petronius' new restaurant. I hear he does remarkable things to oysters."

"I've never eaten an oyster."

_'Truly!?'_ I wondered, but then an idea came to me, and before I knew it I started inviting him. "Oh, well, let me tempt you..." My eyes widened briefly as I realized what I had just said when Crowley put his cup down quickly to give me an immensely amused look. "...oh no...that's your job, isn't it?"

He tilted his head with an amused smirk as he went back to his cup. "It is, but hearing it come from you...well...you just made my day, and considering how shitty my day's been, I welcome the amusement."

"What's your day been like?" I wondered curiously, because he did look rather tired.

"Was sent to tempt. No one in particular, but I had to get ten temptations before the week was out, and well...it's Friday...and I only had two temptations under my belt, so I had to get the other eight done today if I wanted any hope of relaxation tomorrow."

"Well, shouldn't that be easy? Just go up to a human, tempt them to do something bad, and then done?"

"No, it's not easy. That's how everyone else does it. I do it differently. I do it with reason, and I look for the easiest to tempt so it doesn't take much effort. Like...if there's a married man looking at a beautiful woman, that makes tempting him into adultery a lot easier so I go for that. I just got done though, so I decided to come here. Incidentally enough I noticed you were here when I walked through the doors. So...do you really want to take me to lunch to try some oysters?"

"Well..." The thought of it delighted me to no end. Crowley could've just gone to an inn, kept drinking, or just gone somewhere else all together, but he wanted to spend time with me it seemed. That thought alone brought forth other feelings that I quickly forced away with due determination. "...only if you would like to."

"Might as well try it. It's something new to me after all."

"Right, let's go then." I paid both for both of our drinks before grabbing his wrist, dragging him out of the tavern and to the restaurant that wasn't too far.

"Whoa!" He laughed out, openly and joyfully, and once again, it sounded all too familiar, but I pushed it away in favor of thinking that someone else could possibly have the same laugh and the same feeling behind it. I've heard humans for a long, long, long time, and I've heard angels as well. It was very possible for more than one person to have the same laugh and the same feeling behind it, but I didn't want to think about it. "Slow down, Angel! We'll get there! Don't worry!"

I stopped and released his wrist slowly. "Sorry, just excited is all."

"Well..." He grinned at me with amusement twisting at his lips. "...you must really love food for you to be this excited about a demon joining you for lunch."

"Oh, but I do. You see, after you introduced me to wine, I wondered what food wold taste like, and I love it. It's so delicious and every now and then, the humans continue to surprise me with what they create. It's all so wonderful."

"Right...and that's not gluttony?" He asked, causing me to flinch a bit.

"Is it?" I questioned, hoping his answer wouldn't be yes.

"Well, considering you don't NEED food at all, in a way...yes...it is, but as you are DISGUISED as a human...from a human's perspective, no. It just means you want to try new things, and you're doing it during normal meal times. I won't tell my head office about your 'gluttony' if you don't tell yours about me being within the same vicinity of you. I have a feeling you're meant to thwart me."

"I am." I replied honestly. "But if I haven't reported to them about you since all the way back at the wall, I'm not going to report now. You're the only other being that understands, at least just a little, my adoration for the humans. You're the only one I can talk to about it, and you'll actually understand what I'm talking about."

"Advantages of being a demon, I suppose." He grinned as I continued to lead him to the restaurant.

Once we were in, I ordered wine and oysters for both of us. Then, when they arrived, I watched as Crowley gave them an interesting look. I couldn't help but chuckle at his reaction. He acted as if it might move at any moment. "Crowley, it's not going to crawl off of your plate, if that's what you're thinking."

He quirked an eyebrow at me, briefly looking at me, then the oysters, then me again. "You sure? How do I even eat this thing?"

"Oh, let me show you." I took my fork, loosened the oyster, and then I picked it up and let it slide into my mouth. I chewed it a few times before swallowing it. "There, like that." I looked at him and for some reason his jaw was dropped as his eyes widened in what seemed to be shock or astonishment. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"A-Angel...the way you ate that...it was nearly sinful. I-Is that really how you're supposed to eat it?"

I felt my cheeks heat up at his words as my grace thudded against my chest like it usually did when he was around, but I tried to ignore it. "W-Well, yes. That's how you're supposed to eat it. That's how I've seen all of the other humans eat it."

"Right...and it doesn't bother you how that erm...looks?"

I couldn't help, but smirk as I noticed his own cheeks turn a bit pink. _'Well, well, well...it seems I've made a demon step into unfamiliar territory. I should NOT take as much joy out of this as I am, but this is nearly priceless for the original tempter.' _I took one of his oysters, loosened it up for him, and set my fork back down. "Not as much as it seems to be bothering you, apparently. Come on, Crowley, it tastes good, you should try it."

"Y-You're actually...you're actually tempting me!"

I tilted my head in confusion as he seemed genuinely shocked rather than merely mocking me. "What do you mean?"

"I mean...there's a feeling that comes over a person when they're being tempted. In order to be tempted there has to be something you already want to see, say, or do, and when the temptation starts, your focus changes until all you can do is think about it and the urge to do something about it grows stronger. Not only that, but the colors and sounds surrounding what you're being tempted towards changes a bit...you just tempted me."

_'Well...isn't THAT interesting?'_ The amusement, oddity, and remarkableness of this turn of events was not lost on me, but he was still looking rather flustered, which won over the amusement side of the situation. "Well, now I suppose you're left with a rather difficult decision for a demon, then." I smirked, causing his cheeks to tint a bit darker, and I couldn't figure out why they were doing that, but I assume it's from embarrassment so I was going to leave it alone for now. "If you resist temptation you show that you can be virtuous, but if you give in, then you openly admit that you can be tempted by an angel of the Lord."

His eyes widened quite a bit more before he started shaking his head, letting out a low chuckle. "I was right."

"Right about what?"

"You are different from others. Completely unique." Before I could ask him what he meant I watched him pick up the oyster, letting it slide into his mouth like I did, and it was only when he did it, that I really realized how it looked, and he was right. Positively sinful. So much so, that it actually made the oysters more tempting to me, but I couldn't figure out if it was because a demon ate it...or if it was because that demon was Crowley. "You're right, that actually _is_ good."

"Glad I could introduce you to something new." I told him honestly as I continued to eat my oysters. Every now and then I would catch him watching me eat, and it wasn't until my fourth oyster that I decided to ask about it. "Crowley, why are you staring at me?"

"It's so strange. I thought it wouldn't be so strange to me, but it is."

"What is?"

"Watching you be so...human. I expected you to act like this at some point, but...it's a bit surprising. Not in a bad way..." He quickly waved his hand as if I'd be insulted, and really, I should be, but I wasn't. "...but...it's definitely not what I thought it would be like. It's as if...as if you're so carefree. As if you're not about to receive a pile of work to do, as if you're not having to disguise yourself...it's just that you're a bit of a natural at it, and like I said, I expected you to be, but there's being a natural and taking joy in being a natural at it. It's pleasant to see you laid back like this."

"The said can be said for you, I suppose. It's interesting to see you so tempted and indulgent. Also, you don't look like your shoulders are bearing their usual weight anymore." I ate another oyster and noticed a small, but honest smile appear on his face. It was a good look on him. _'Wait...WHAT AM I THINKING!? I'M SUPPOSED TO BE PUSHING THOSE THOUGHTS BACK!'_

"Only when I'm with you." He stated as if it was nothing. Meanwhile, my grace and my soul are pounding like thunder.

_'You wily old serpent! How am I supposed to NOT think about what I'm not supposed to think about when you act like that? It's still impossible! There's no way! You're a demon and I'm an angel! It's as simple as that!'_ I swallowed the oyster and nodded my head. "Thank you." My eyes widened for a brief moment. _'THANK YOU!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN THANK YOU, MOUTH! THAT IS NOT WHAT WE'RE MEANT TO SAY!'_

"You're welcome." He smirked as he continued to eat his food.

_'Perhaps at some point I won't be able to think about it. Perhaps at some point the rest of me will catch up to logic, but today isn't that day, apparently. Perhaps someday I'll be able to understand him, but would that make me just as fallen as him, or would that make me one who understands the enemy? And if I do understand the enemy...what would that make me!?'_ These were thoughts I didn't want, but they were here none the less. Perhaps someday they will get answered, but today was not that day.


	6. Chapter 6

_'I can't believe him! The nerve! Saying that we should just stay home! Just to say we've done all that we could without doing anything at all!'_ As I headed back to Camelot, I couldn't get rid of the anger that surged within me at what Crowley had just tried to do. He genuinely tried to tempt me. He was tempting me with the sin of Sloth! He nearly won too! However, something he said DID make a bit of sense. We WERE cancelling each other out. We seemed to always be meeting up in the same places. Through the years, it's been getting more frequent, and I still couldn't quite get used to the name 'Crowley'. I met him as Crawley, and that seemed a fine enough name for a demon that could turn into a snake.

Some time later King Arthur fought...and lost. So, I reported everything I had done to my head office and they gave me a job well done, saying that I was free to do as I pleased for a year as long as I didn't perform too many frivolous miracles, but that also left me with a bit of a hole. The hole had a name. The name was...'I have no idea what to do now!'

As I wondered about that, I got rid of the annoying armor, changed into commoner clothing that was all white and cream colors, and I decided to go into the nearest still-standing tavern. To no surprise, I saw Crowley sitting at a table by himself, but there was a cup for the seat across from him. I walked over and pointed at the cup. "Someone sitting here?" I asked him.

"Not until you sit down, there isn't." He commented before taking a large gulp of his wine.

"Wait, that cup is for me?"

"It always is." He answered.

"But you had no way of knowing if I would show up!" I told him as I sat down. Once I was seated, I noticed he was in black commoner clothing.

"Ever since Rome and the oysters, I've always had a cup or mug of wine or ale across from me while I drank mine. Figured since we kept meeting up, might as well have the occasion ready."

"And...no one else has sat with you?" I wondered as I took a much needed drink of my wine.

"No. I haven't let them. Always told them I was waiting for someone."

"But why do you wait for me?" I asked as I looked into my cup. The thoughtfulness that went into this wasn't lost on me. I was just genuinely wondering why he would do such a thing. Sure, we got a long, but it wasn't like we were on the same side. We were enemies, in fact, and a part of me sometimes wondered if he knew that or if he perhaps was tortured in Hell to the point of forgetting.

"Because I enjoy your company." He answered calmly, gaining my complete and undivided attention. "Speaking of which...I think we should do something about the whole...cancelling each other out. It doesn't really work for either of our sides if we're just in the same place doing the same things for both of our sides. Me tempting your side, while you're trying to purify or save those on mine. I say that there's an arrangement in order."

"An arrangement!?" I laughed out. "Surely you're not serious, Crowley."

"That I am." He nodded with a proud smile.

"Crowley..." I sighed out, shaking my head. "...my dear boy, we're an angel and demon..."

"Gee, thanks for reminding me! I almost forgot! Thank someone that I have you to help me with that! Oh, what would I do without you to clarify what I am!" He rolled his eyes, downing the rest of his drink.

At his reaction I couldn't help but roll my eyes either. He was acting childish for a serious discussion. "Now don't be dramatic, Crowley. This is serious. You're talking about...working together. We're on opposite sides! Besides, how would we even be able to help each other!?"

"Ah, well, I have an idea about that actually. Do you remember that you were actually able to tempt me back in Rome with the oysters?"

"Oh-ho, no." I immediately told him as I waved a finger at him, looking down to the floor. "You are NOT getting me to to do all your work for you!"

"Aziraphale, let me finish explaining and then you can give me your opinion. Believe it or not, your opinion truly matters to me."

"Does it now?" I questioned sarcastically.

"It does." He nodded.

"Right, then my opinion is that this is a bad idea and that you should repent for falling. My opinion is that you should regret being part of a battle that caused hundreds if not thousands of angels their lives!" My words were harsh, and I was grateful that we were the only two in the tavern, but now that I think about it, that might've been Crowley's doing.

"Aziraphale, look, I understand the losses you suffered..." Before he could finish, I got up and was about to slap him hard across the face, because how dare he!? He knew NOTHING of what I suffered! Of what I STILL suffer when I find myself gazing up at the stars! But my hand never reached his face. Instead, he swiftly yet gently grabbed my wrist with the calmest expression I've ever seen on him. "...please, Aziraphale. Hear me out...and if you're still upset with me, I'll let you slap me then, okay?"

Something dropped painfully hard from my grace and to the ground. Something painful, something wrong, something that left me feeling cold, sad, and horrible. As I slowly slid my hand away I realized that the feeling was guilt and I hated feeling that. I sat back down, letting out a sigh to try and steady myself from my almost outburst. He was being rather calm and civil about it all. Civil, patient, kind, and understanding. He wasn't even mad that I was about to slap him. "What is it?" I breathed out, still frustrated by his words, claiming that he understood.

"Right..." He started as if I didn't try and slap him, which astonished me to no end. It was almost as if he instantly forgave my action, causing me to feel even guiltier about wanting so badly to slap him. "...well, if we're going to end up being in the same area, we might as well do one or the other, thwarting the other...OR one of us takes on both at once."

I couldn't help the snort of laughter that escaped me. "My, you really must have forgotten that you're a demon and I'm an angel. I perform MIRACLES, Crowley. I can admire the fact that you can somehow show that somewhere in you there's a shred of decency and compassion, but if you really expect me to believe that you can-" I didn't get to finish before I saw him snapping his fingers and we were suddenly sitting in what seemed to be this times version of a sick ward. There was no one around, and as I looked closer, I noticed they were all children, and they weren't just sick. I walked over to one and he had various bruises on his legs. Another had sword wounds. One had mace markings, and it was just one after another with battle wounds. "C-Crowley...who did this?"

"The side I was on." He answered, and the guilt in his tone was nearly tangible. "Let me show you what I can do, Angel." He walked all the way to the end of the room where a bed was isolated from the rest of the sleeping and groaning children. "This child..." He said once I was by his side at the bed and inside the curtain. "...he was defending his mother, but ended up getting whipped severely by a few of the knights on the side I was on." He pulled away the cover, waking up the child on accident.

"Wh-Who are you!?" He whispered out with a hoarse voice as he looked at me and Crowley.

"Hush, it's going to be alright." Crowley replied as he crouch down next to the bed. "What's your name, young man?"

"Thomas." The boy answered, seeming to relax some. "My name's Thomas, Sir."

"A fine name. Tell me, are you scared, Thomas?"

"I am, Sir." He nodded.

"What are you scared of?" Crowley questioned as the boy sat up. Once the boy was sitting up straight in his bed, scooting over to allow Crowley room to sit, Crowley did exactly that.

"The wounds I got...they made me sick. My throat hurts badly. My mother's house was burning down and they were going to take her from me. I defended her, but the fire caused my lungs to be damaged, and I was whipped for defending her, but they left the rest of our village alone after that. I'm in here, because my wounds got infected badly, and they didn't want to risk me giving it to anyone else, but there was nowhere else for me to go, so they put me in the farthest part of the room, Sir. I'm scared I'm going to die. I don't want..." The boy started to cry, but Crowley leaned next to him, gently brushing his tears away. "...I shouldn't cry!" He whisper shouted. "It's not manly to cry."

"Whoever told you that is a fool." Crowley sternly whispered to him. "It's going to be alright. I'm going to do something for you, and the rest of the children here, but you have to promise me something?"

"Alright..." Crowley got up and reached under the boys bed and pulled out a staff. "...hey, that's my staff!" The boy pointed out, but it wasn't out of anger or irritation, it was just a child pointing out a fact.

"Yes it is." He nodded before leaning closer to my ear. "Aziraphale, with what I'm about to tell the boy, I need you to be as calm as possible. We can fight later if you like, but not here. Not in front of all of these children. Do you understand? You can even discorporate me if you like."

The thought of discorporating him nearly made me sick to my stomach, and it left me feeling so much colder than the guilt I felt before, but I nodded my head. "Alright."

"Good, thank you." He sighed out with a breath of relief before going back to the boy. "Now..." He let his wings unfurl slowly, making the boy gasp with widened eyes that now were crying for an entirely different reason.

"A-An angel..." He whispered out.

"Thomas, with what I'm about to do, when people ask what happened and who did it...I want you to tell them...that the Archangel Raphael did it."

Everything in me constricted as if Crowley was in his large snake form, wrapping tightly and menacingly around my soul, grace, and mind. It hurt, it nearly had me doubling over, and it was beyond wrong, but I told him I would stay calm, so I would...for now. "A-Archangel?"

"Yes." He nodded. "Can you do that for me, Thomas? You can probably get the other children to say it too, and then the adults will HAVE to believe you."

"Y-Yes, Sir!"

Crowley nodded his head, pleased with the boy's answer, and instructed the boy to lay on his stomach. I watched as Crowley clutched the boys staff with one hand, and it seemed so natural for him somehow. Then, I watched as his other hand hovered over the boys horrendous whip marks, and I had to cover my mouth to stop myself from gasping in pure dumbfounded shock as his hand started to glow a calming green color, healing he whip marks as if they were never there in the first place. He then instructed the boy to turn on his back and he did the same for the boys lungs. He was able to breath a steadier and fuller pace. "There's a brave young man." He stated with a hint of pride. "How do you feel?"

"I-I feel as if I was never injured or sick, Sir."

"Good. Do you have any friends in here? We'll get to them first." The boy nodded his head and jumped up from the bed, wearing only his trousers, and he quickly pointed to a bed on the right side of the room closest to his bed. "This is my sister...Elaina. She has burn marks on her legs, but they gave her medicine to help her sleep. The same goes for everyone else in here. They can give it to us, because our bodies are so small, but they can't give it to adults."

"Makes sense." Crowley nodded. He then gently lifted up the covers, waking her up. "Hush, little one, and be still please." She did as she was told and Crowley healed the burns from her legs.

Once they were gone I yanked on his arm and whispered into his ear at a level only angels and demons could hear, "What are you thinking!? What if Hell finds out!?"

"Funny thing about that..." He whispered back at the same level. "...it's the GOOD miracles they don't get any notifications about. They have no idea I'm capable of this, and since I haven't been visited by anyone but you from Heaven..._they_ don't know either, and I would like to keep it that way." He stepped away, gently tugging his arm away from me, and he walked to the girl's side.

She slowly sat up, tossed the covers off and wiggled her toes as she moved her legs, testing them out and examining them. She then turned to Crowley, who still had his wings out, and she pointed at his wing, silently giggling as she pointed. "Wings..." She cooed quietly. She couldn't have been any older than three or four.

The most honest and joyful smile appeared on his face as he moved his wing closer to her. At this point, I nearly fainted from shock. He was allowing the girl to put her hands in his right wing. He was allowing her to tug on his wings while he wiped away her joyful tears. "Yes, they're wings. Do you like them, Elaina?"

"You know my name?" She gasped, but that only caused Crowley's smile to grow as he moved to allow Thomas by. "Tomma!"

"She can't say Thomas." He chuckled out as happy tears ran down his cheeks. "Hey, Elaina." He grinned. "We're going to help the others. Me, Raphael, and his friend..."

"...Aziraphale..." Crowley replied, and a part of me wanted to smite him with pure Holy Wrath at not denying being someone I cared deeply for, but I couldn't help but think Raphael would've wanted to do this.

"Right." Thomas nodded. "Me, Raphael, and his friend Aziraphale are going to help the others. Stay here and be quiet okay?" She nodded her head with a wide smile. "Good."

It was like that for every child. He would move the covers, waking them up, Thomas would tell them that Crowley was Raphael, and I didn't interfere, because I didn't want Heaven to know what was happening, which all in all...was wonderful despite everything. Once he was done, and all of the children were healed, staying silent as instructed, Crowley tried to give the staff back to Thomas. "Here you go. Thank you for letting me use it."

"No, keep it. I don't need it anymore. It was too tall for me anyway. It's the perfect height for you, and it looks good with you."

"Thank you." He nodded gratefully, and there was something akin to fondness in his eyes mixed with something else that I couldn't name.

"No, thank you, Raphael. We'll be sure to tell everyone that God sent the Archangel Raphael to heal all of us."

"Good, you do that, but remember, I can't always show up like this. You have to rely on the physicians and your parents a lot of the time, and...I'm a very busy angel. Alright?"

"Yes, Sir. Thank you!"

"Good luck...all of you." He raised his wings, grabbed my arm, and we were out of there with a snap of his fingers, bringing us into a room that Crowley was obviously staying at. "Alright..." He sighed out as he carefully put the curved and well crafted staff on the bed. "...I'm sure they'll be interested to know that I was thwarted by an angel, and you'll likely receive more commendation than you've likely already received...so...just tell me how we're going to do this?"

As much as I wanted to, I couldn't suppress the choked sob that left my lips as tears ran down my cheeks in streams while I covered my mouth. I sat on the bed, moving the staff slightly, my whole body shaking as I sobbed. After all of that...after he HEALED them ALL...he still thought I would discorporate him. The worst part was that I couldn't blame at all for thinking that. I had been nothing but rude about the whole idea, and I WANTED to smite him for the whole 'Raphael' thing. _'He...He healed them all!'_ I thought as I remembered how every child started to cry tears of joy and relief, and he wiped them all away. He let the younger children play with his wings and feathers for a little bit, and even though some of them accidentally pulled out some feathers, he acted as if it didn't hurt one bit.

"Aziraphale!?" He shouted with concern that I didn't deserve. He quickly crouched down in front of me, and moved my hand. "What's wrong?"

I shook my head as I gripped the sheets beneath me, to try and steady myself. "Wh-What are you?"

"I'm a demon...you know that." He replied as if the fact hurt him.

"You're not...a d-demon! Demons can't h-heal..."

"I do believe I once told you that demons have the same powers they had in Heaven, but it's up to them how to use them. I was to be a Guardian angel. That's how I'm able to do that."

My eyes snapped up at that, my breath stuck in my throat, despite not needing it. "You were supposed to be a Guardian Angel too?"

"Yes." He nodded as he wiped away my tears. "I was, but that stays between us, okay?" I nodded my head. How could I not? He healed an entire ward of children, trusting me to not say anything until he was done, and now he just told me probably THE MOST IMPORTANT piece of information about him. "Good...now...about the Raphael thing...just go ahead and at least tell me how we're going to do this."

"D-Do what?" I asked, knowing full well the answer as it DID upset me just moments ago.

"You discorporating me. Raphael was important to you, and well...I used his name, not denying it when they called me by it."

"Crowley..." I shook my head, tears still falling down my face and onto the floor beneath me. "...I can't discorporate you after that. Not only did you heal all of those children, but you did so in Raphael's name. You now have an entire ward of children who will keep him alive in memory, words, stories, and written word. It's almost like you're giving him a chance to live again. You were...and you can't stop me from saying it...but...you were good. You were kind, compassionate, and caring. I didn't think it was possible for a demon."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'm one of a kind."

"Yes..." I laughed out, still sobbing, but less than before. "...I can see that. Now..." I wiped away my tears with a wide smile, my grace and soul shining with pride, joy, and determination. "...about that arrangement?"


	7. Chapter 7

"To be or not to be! That is the question! Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows you..."

"I thought you said we'd be inconspicuous here. Blend in among the crowds." I heard Crowley say as he walked up next to me.

"Well, that was the idea."

"Hang on!" I heard Shakespeare command his actor.

"This isn't one of Shakespeare's gloomy one's is it? OH! No wonder nobody's here!"

"Shh! It's him! It's him!"

"Prithee, gentles, might I request a small favor? Could you, in your role, as the audience, give us more to work with?"

"You mean like when the ghost of his father came on, and I said, 'He's behind you!'?"

"Just so! That was jolly helpful. Made everyone on stage feel more appreciated. A bit more of that. Good master Burbage, speak the lines trippingly."

"I am wasting my time up here!"

"No! No, you're very good! I love all the...talking."

"And what does your friend think?"

"Oh, he's not my friend. We've never met before. We don't know each other." At my own words I heard my mind say, 'Yeah, that sounds good.' Meanwhile my grace said, 'Really...that's what we're going with?' While my soul muttered, 'Yeah, VERY convincing. No one will ever know!' The pure sarcasm my soul felt was unwarranted and I mentally scolded it, which made me feel a bit insane, but then out of the corner of my eye, I saw Crowley smiling wider than I've seen him smile in a long time.

"I think you should get on with the play!"

"Uh, yes, Burbage, please! From the top!"

"To be!" I shouted, trying to be helpful. "I mean...Not to be! Come on, Hamlet! Buck up!"

"He's very good isn't he?"

"Age does not wither, nor custom stale his infinite variety."

"What do you want?"

"What EVER would you insinuate that I might possibly want something?" He smirked slightly and eventually settled to stand slightly in front of me on my right side.

"YOU are up to no good."

"Obviously. You're up to Good, I take it? Lots of good _DEEDS_."

"No rest for the well...good. I have to be in Edinburgh at the end of the week. A couple of blessings to do. A minor miracle to preform. Apparently I have to ride a horse."

I heard him groan in sympathy. Neither of us had ever like horses very much. They're nice to look at, not nice to ride. "Hard on the buttocks, horses. Major design flaw if you ask me. I'm meant to be heading to Edinburgh too, this week. Tempting a clan leader to steal some cattle."

I started with a curious and calculative expression. "Doesn't sound like hard work."

"That's why I thought we should...Well, bit of a wasted effort, both of us going all the way to Scotland."

"You cannot actually be suggesting..." Realizing who we were surrounded by I quickly changed my way of wording. "...what I infer...you are implying."

"Which is?"

"That just ONE of us goes to Edinburgh, does both. The blessing and the tempting."

"We've done it before. Dozens of times now...The arrangement."

"Don't say that!"

"Our respective head offices don't actually care how things get done. They just want to know they can cross it off the list."

"But if Hell finds out...they won't just be angry. They'll destroy you."

"Nobody ever has to know. Toss you for Edinburgh." He held out the coin, and I felt the feather light feeling of temptation, because if I were to admit it, tempting was quite fun. It always reminded me of how I accidentally tempted Crowley with the oysters.

It took me a moment to decide, because this was Crowley at stake. Hell really would destroy him if they found out he was so much as talking to me without trying to destroy me on sight, let alone us taking on each other's jobs. "Fine. Heads."

He tossed the coin, allowing me to listen to the ringing noise it briefly made. Once he caught it he looked at it. "Tails, I'm afraid. You're going to Scotland."

Right after he spoke, we heard Shakespeare talking to one of the woman who were handing out flowers or food. "It's been like this every performance, Juliet. Complete dud! It'd take a miracle to get anyone to come and see hamlet."

"Yes, alright..." He sighed out. "I'll do that one. My treat."

"Oh really?"

"I still prefer the funny ones."

After about an hour and a half, no one showed up and neither did Crowley. "Alright..." Shakespeare sighed, placing a worrying hand to his temple. "...open the doors. Let the public know that Hamlet will be showing within the hour." One of the ladies carrying food curtsied before walking to the door.

_'Come on, Crowley...where are you with that miracle?'_ I asked mentally as I looked around, knowing full well that the doors were always open. Shakespeare was just sending someone out to spread the news, but then I started hearing murmurings. I quickly went to the door and waited for Crowley as people nearly flooded the entire area. Once I saw Crowley I grabbed his wrist and pulled him to a seat so that we could sit down and watch the play, but also so that I could ask him how he did it.

"Before you ask me..." He whispered, leaning next to me. "...it wasn't a really a miracle, but a temptation. Everyone seemed to be curious about Shakespeare himself, both men AND women...and others were curious about the plays, the building, and the other people that might show up. I'm marking this down as a grand temptation to make others miserable for however long the play lasts and depending on what the play is about. It all works out."

"Thank you, anyway."

"Angel, you really gotta stop thanking me. It won't look good if I'm getting thanked all the blessed time. If my head office finds out I did something for an angel I'm the one in trouble, you know."

I was about to make a retort, but Shakespeare's shaking voice of astonishment, announcing and narrating the play drew me out of it. From there, we both watched the play silently as others took more vocal cues without being prompted by either me or Crowley.

After the play ended, we left and went back to Crowley's room to drink wine. Once I closed the door behind me I let out a soft chuckle. "What is it, Angel?" He asked me as he poured my glass first, handing it to me.

I took it gladly, smirking at him slightly. "I told you it was good."

"You did nothing of the sort, Aziraphale." He stated as he poured his own glass, setting the bottle down on the table. "You told me the actor was good."

"True, but the play was rather good."

"Yes, and I'll be able to tell my head office that I tempted thousands of people to gather into one place to watch such a play. I'll even tell them what the play is about, and I'm sure they'll leave me alone for a while, but I'll still tempt on the side just in case."

"Sounds like a plan." I told him as I started drinking my wine. "So, what were you doing before you came to the globe theater?"

"Oh, nothing much. I saw a man that was being rude to a few women, and I saw that another man saw him. The other man was furious with him, but didn't want to do anything, so I whispered in his ear how appalling it was and that somebody should do something. Somebody who saw everything that happened. Before I knew it, he started throwing punches, knocking him to the ground, filled with wrath. I then tempted one of the women he avenged to go sleep with him...her hero. The officials saw it ALL happen aside from me, because I made myself unnoticeable, so the one punching didn't get in trouble at all, and what's better, he got to sleep with a woman he's also had his eye on. So...wrath and lust. I think I did well."

"Certainly sounds like it." I agreed as I sat down in the chair that was next to the bed. "Tell me, Crowley...about that coin toss..."

"For the last time, Angel, I would never cheat or lie to you. That coin toss was completely honest. If you remember correctly, I've lost my fair share of coin tosses."

"Yes, well, forgive me if I'm a bit suspicious when a DEMON is the one doing the coin toss."

"Oh, and I suppose if I let you do it, you won't flip it within your favor?" He arched a brow at me, looking up from his glasses, sunglasses sitting on the nightstand as he sat cross legged on the bed.

"Well...I may..."

"Cheat?" He offered with an amused scoff of laughter. "And _I'M_ the demon!?"

"Don't even joke about that, Crowley!" I scolded before taking a large gulp of my wine, feeling like I was going to need it soon.

"Believe me, Angel, that's not something I take lightly. It's a heavier burden than you'll ever know."

"You don't know the burdens I carry." I snapped, but instantly regretted it as I felt something dangerous shift in his aura.

He immediately got up, tossing his wine on the floor, not caring that it broke, spilling its contents everywhere before he roughly grabbed my the front of my clothes over my chest, pushing me against the wall harshly. "I don't know the burdens _you_ carry!? You don't know the burdens_ I_ carry, Angel, and you could never hope to even imagine what my burdens are! What it feels like to be me...to be...fallen! BLESS IT ALL, ANGEL! BACK THEN I..." My grace was pounding so loud in my ears I was sure he could hear it, but apparently he didn't, because all he did was let out a heavy sigh as he released me, stepping back slightly, looking down at the floor as his arms fell to his sides, shaking his head in what seemed like pure regret and defeat. "...forget it."

As he fixed the glass and the stain, I couldn't help but feel guilty. It was sometimes difficult to remember that being a demon meant he was fallen...that he was once an angel. He lost everything in a day due to his involvement in the battle, and suffered unimaginable pain. He's told me he was tortured, but being ripped from God's voice, Her love, Her grace...I didn't even want to THINK about it, but Crowley was still LIVING it. "I'm sorry. I had no right to say that."

"No, you didn't, but it's fine. I shouldn't have lost my temper like that. I know you could never understand, Aziraphale, and I'll be blessed if you ever have to find out. I won't let that happen. Not to you."

"Why?" I wondered, trying not to react to the way my name sounded just then, which caused my grace to do a strange flip before a hard thump. I still thought of Raphael often as I looked up to the stars, and I'm still constantly trying to push back the feelings I shouldn't be having for Crowley, but the fact was...I had to try. I still think it'll eventually stop, though. It's definitely slowed down quite a bit since the start of the arrangement.

"Because, you're the last one that deserves something like that. Any of those other bastards...meh...but you...you've been there, and you STILL haven't reported to Heaven about me. There's a list, Angel, but I don't really like talking about my _feelings_, so if we could talk about anything but my fall, my old life, and my feelings...that'd be great."

"Alright, well, tell me more about this cattle leader I'll be tempting, then."

"Excellent topic!"


	8. Chapter 8

How is it that I always found myself in these situations!? I just wanted some crepes and now I'm here arguing with an executioner that is all too eager to discorporate me, which would cause an annoying amount of paper work, and interrupt my time on Earth. "Animals!" I exclaimed with an exasperated breath, barely noticing that time around the executioner had stopped.

"Animals don't kill each other with clever machines, Angel. Only humans do that."

"Crowley!" I turned around quickly, my grace and soul all too happy to hear his voice behind me in this situation, but when I got a good look at what he was wearing I scrunched up my nose a bit at his ridiculous outfit, not to mention the hair. It didn't suit him at all. "Oh good Lord!"

"What the deuce are you doing locked up in the Bastille? I thought you were opening a book shop!"

"Well, I was!" I told him honestly, because quite frankly, continuously traveling endlessly, staying at questionable inns with even more questionable people, it left me more than a little wanting for a place to call my own where I could live, leave, and return depending on missions. "I got peckish."

The look of complete disbelief did not escape my notice, and honestly I couldn't blame him. It did seem a bit foolish during these times, but I REALLY wanted crepes and the best ones, as anyone with decent taste buds knows, are in Paris! "Peckish?" He asked me, causing me to let out a small sigh of foolish defeat.

"Well, if you must know...it was the crepes. You can't get decent ones anywhere but Paris." I moved to sit down before continuing. "And the brioche."

"So you just popped across the Channel during a revolution, because you wanted something to nibble...dressed like that?"

_'Dressed like-Oh, like you're one to talk!'_ I thought quickly. "I have standards! I'd heard they were getting a bit carried away over here, but..."

"Yeah, this is not getting carried away. This is cutting off lots of people's heads very efficiently with a big head cutting machine. Why don't you just preform another miracle and go home?"

"I was reprimanded last month. They said I preformed too many frivolous miracles. Got a strongly worded note from Gabriel."

"Well, you're lucky I was in the area."

_'Yes, how is it that always happens. I'm in a rough spot and he's always able to come bail me out of trouble. It's happened on more than one occasion. Not often, but enough times for it to be strange. Especially considering some of his assignments.'_ I eyed him for a brief moment as I replied, "I suppose I am. Why are you here?"

"My lot gave me a commendation for outstanding job performance."

_'You can't be SERIOUS!'_ I mentally screamed, but decided making it verbal would be better for the wily old serpent. "So all this is YOUR demonic work!?"

"NO! The humans thought it up themselves! Nothing to do with me!"

I watched as Crowley snapped his fingers, and with a rushing relief, my shackles were removed, clattering and clinking to the floor. I rubbed at my sore wrists, looking at him, feeling all the more grateful that he really was in the area...for whatever reason. "Well, I suppose I should say thank you for the uh...rescue."

"Don't say that. If my people hear that I've rescued an angel, I'll be the one in trouble, and my lot do not send rude notes."

_'Right, I forgot...doesn't like being thanked, yet does things that deserves thanks. What a strange being.'_ I leaned forward a bit just to spite him and said, "Well, anyway, I'm _very_ grateful. What about if I buy you lunch?"

"Looking like that?" He sneered at me.

I looked at my outfit and waved a hand down my body, switching mine and the executioner's clothes. Serves him right for almost discorporating me! Not only that, but he was all too twisted and happy about executions in general. "Well, barely counts as a miracle, really."

"Dressed like that, he's asking for trouble." Crowley muttered with mild amusement, and I couldn't help the satisfied and smug grin that appeared on my face as I was watching him being taken away by his own men. "What's for lunch?"

I pursed my lips with a thought that since I was here for it anyway, might as well go and get it. "What would you say to some crepes?"

"Oh-ho?" He started with an even further amused look in his eyes as we started to walk out of the Bastille, past the guards that never cared to try and remember faces, and out the large doors. "Angel, I didn't know you had it in you to look so...devilishly smug. Not only that, but the way you switched your clothes for his! I had honestly wondered if my thoughts had taken on a mind of their own, because I thought about doing the same thing."

"I'm not devilishly smug, just...a bit smug. The brute deserves it. Besides, he has a twisted personality, I'm sure he'll do great with your people."

"Oh, yeah, they're gonna have fun with him downstairs. So, what kind of crepes do they have?"

"Oh, all types! They have strawberry, cream filled ones, peach ones, and..." Just as I was about to list off another one, one of the crepes they had struck me as the perfect one for Crowley. "...Oh, Crowley, you simply MUST let me order a crepe for you!"

"Well, considering I've never eaten a crepe before, that might be a good idea."

"Never eaten a-" I didn't want to believe it. It was unfathomable! How could someone as old as us go through life without eating a CREPE! "-Next you're going to tell me you haven't eaten at all this past century!"

"Hey, Angel?" He asked as we made it to his carriage.

"What?" I asked as I got in before him.

When he sat down he smirked as me after the door was closed. "I haven't eaten in the past century."

"CROWLEY!" I shouted with a look of pure disbelief. "How could you not!?"

"Out of all the sins to try out, Gluttony wasn't one of my favorites to try, but as far as tempting others with, It's my favorite to tempt a certain angel with."

He rose his brow with that cocky smirk of his, causing my face to feel warm, which caused me to have to suppress those damn feelings again. "Yes, well, you haven't tempted me with food in a full decade, so now it's my turn."

"Oh, really?" He asked, his voice going a little higher at the end as his smirk broadened, which indicated he was holding back a laugh.

"Yes, and I'm sure you'll enjoy it."

"I just realized...the driver doesn't..."

"Oh, he knows where he's going. He just doesn't know he knows at the moment."

"Angel...first tempting as good as I can, then the ironic switch of clothes for the executioner, and now manipulation?" I could hear the honest concern in his voice, but I didn't know why it was there. Normally he would find that incredibly amusing.

"What is it, Crowley?"

"Aziraphale..." I gasped, because he usually only called me that if he truly wanted my attention. Then, to my immense surprise, he took off his sunglasses, which meant this was a conversation to NOT take lightly. "...that's awfully...demonic of you. Aren't you afraid of falling?"

"Wouldn't a demon want an angel to fall?"

"Not this demon." His eyes looked so sorrowful, they nearly looked fearful. "Aziraphale, tell me the truth, alright? I need to know. Are you...are you purposely trying to fall?"

"WHAT!? P-Purposely try to-Why on Earth would I do such a thing!?"

"S-So...you're not trying to fall? You're not being all devilish so that you can leave Heaven?" He asked, and I wasn't sure if the hope in his voice was for me to fall or for me to NOT fall.

"No, I would never do that! As much of a stickler Michael is, and a bit of a...well...I have a few choice words for what Gabriel is..."

"Gabriel!?" He quickly asked, and I tilted my head slightly, but quickly at his reaction, furrowing my brow in confusion. "Has he done something?"

"Well...strongly worded letters, but nothing more...why are you...?"

"Good, and just so we're clear...you're truly not trying to fall?"

I shook my head, growing concerned the more and more he asked. "No, Crowley. I would never purposely try to fall. I would rather get discorporated a thousand times over before I do that."

He physically sagged in his seat, bringing a hand over his eyes as a sigh of relief left his lips. "Oh, thank God!"

"THANK WHO NOW!?" I questioned quickly, almost certain I must've heard him wrong. The way I understood it, that name shouldn't have been able to pass his lips without causing him pain.

"You heard me, Aziraphale." He groaned out. "I don't think I would be able to live with myself if you fell. Whether I'm the influence of it or not."

"Why ever not? And...how are you even able to say that name without being in pain!?"

"What?" He asked as he sat up and put his glasses back on. "How can I say...God?"

"YES!"

"Well, first off, you're about the best thing on this planet. There's so much good in you, and you...I just wouldn't take it well and leave it at that. Now, about me being able to say the word God without pain..."

"You're not really a demon are you? You're just a test from God herself!"

"Nope! Still a demon. Don't believe me, look at my aura."

Now I was really confused. "Aren't aura's just something you feel? You can't actually see them, can you?"

"Right...you didn't get the chance to learn that." He muttered low, and I barely caught it, but I caught it just the same, which made this conversation even more baffling. He scooted forward and raised both of his hands on either side of my face. I scooted closer as well, wondering where this was going. "Alright, I'm going to place my hands on the sides of your face, but first your going to close your eyes. I'm going to give you my ability to see auras, but only while my hands are on the side of your face. When you open your eyes, you'll see it, but if it gets to feel like it's too much, squeeze my arms, wrists, or hands and I'll take the ability back."

"Wh-What WERE you in Heaven!?"

"An advanced angel. Let's leave it at that. I told you I don't like talking about it. Now...close your eyes." I nodded my head before doing as he asked. Soon, I felt his warm hands on the side of my face. "You can open your eyes, Aziraphale. Tell me what you see. Every detail and I'll tell you what they mean, no matter how much I don't want to."

I opened my eyes, and I instantly started crying from how beautiful it was. Colors were surrounding him in waves, spirals, curves, and throughout them all there seemed to be a glitter to them like stardust, but I assume that the glitter is there, because he's a demon, so I wasn't going to mention it. "I-I see...well...it's rather beautiful. There's spirals..."

"That means I'm inquisitive as well as calculative." He smirked.

"Some of the aura is coming off in waves...like the ocean against the sand at a beach."

"That means I'm patient as well as strong willed."

"That makes sense." I smiled briefly. "There's also curves...like the constant pattern of a pair over and over again but only from top to bottom then it repeats from top to bottom again." I showed him the look of it with my hand making the motion of it.

"That means I'm creative as well as caring. What colors do you see?"

"I-I see..."

"Aziraphale, is this becoming too much for you?"

"No!" I shouted, not wanting this to end. It was beyond beautiful, and my grace as well as my soul were practically singing with a feeling of...rightness.

"Alright, so what colors?" He repeated calmly.

"Wait, what was that?"

"I dunno, you're gonna have to tell me."

"When you asked me again what colors, your aura sort of...it looked like it shook with rapid waves."

"That means I'm getting worried. Come on, Aziraphale, my power isn't good for you for too long. It will get to be too much. Tell me, what colors."

"R-Right..." I stuttered out as the aura started to shake even more. "...um...they're sort of in rings...like the inside of tree so you can tell how old it is."

"The colors closest to my center are the ones I'm closest to. To be fair, I've never looked at my own aura before so...this should be amusing."

"Your aura just gave off little wisps of color spreading out from the aura!"

"That means I'm amused."

"Interesting! So um...the outer ring is yellow."

"That means positivity, joy, and learning new things. For me, it would be my joy of learning new things with some minor positivity."

"Wow, that's interesting!" I exclaimed in honest awe. "U-Um there's...the next one's...green!"

"Enthusiastic, optimistic, growth and balance. I get enthusiastic about certain things like when you act a bit devilish, but this time you worried me a bit. I try to be a bit optimistic considering my lot don't exactly like to feel much but sorrow, anger, wrath, resentment, hate, and so on with the negativity. As far as Growth that's basically growth in learning or as a person, for me it's hard to tell. Balance...I think the arrangement can attest to that. We have a pretty balanced partnership, and I'm balanced as a person. I never lose myself."

"Alright, that makes sense as well. Next is...purple."

"Visionary and dreamer. I do enjoy sleeping. My dreams can either turn into nightmares, or they remain pleasant dreams. No, I won't tell you what they are or were."

"Wasn't expecting you to." I smirked. "After purple is..." My eyes widened with a feeling of sadness in my chest. It didn't seem like something that belonged in an aura. "...black."

"Blocked energy, distrust, fear, weakness...that's what ALL demons have. It doesn't matter which demon. Every demon has it. The blocked energy is us being blocked off from God and Her love."

"It's a thin line."

"It varies in size from demon to demon." He says matter-of-factly

"R-Right..." I said as I no longer wanted to talk about the black aura. "...Blue is the next one!"

"Calm, intuitive, healing or healer, teacher. I think you know enough to be able to discern those."

"Um, yeah." I chuckled out warmly. "That's a bit obvious from the very beginning of the arrangement. The very thing that caused me to agree to the arrangement, and from just knowing you. After that is...red."

"Grounded, centered, powerful, anger, passion. Again, I don't think I need to explain those."

"No, you most certainly do not. Especially the powerful bit. Now...after that is...orange."

"Creativity and adventurous. We both have this one." He grinned. "But then again, we have similar ones anyway. Go on."

"There's just one left."

"Really!? There's another one? Well, that's interesting. What color is it?" He asked, seeming to grown more enthusiastic about this, which I noticed that particular aura seemed to shine a bit brighter. _'I guess that's how he tells what I'm feeling sometimes.'_

"It's...white. It's a where your soul would reside and...is about the size of your fist."

"That..." I noticed his eyes go incredibly wide as he furrowed his brow in what seemed to be confusion. I watched his aura slow almost to stop. There were no wisps or waves or curls anymore.

"Your aura stopped moving." I stated with a hint of worry in my own voice.

"That's...that's because I'm feeling too many things at once. It um...white...it shouldn't be there."

"What? Why not?"

"Because I'm a demon. White...white is purity, spirituality, and truth. That's...a lot of humans have it, but just like ALL demons have black no matter what...all angels have white."

I squeezed his arm gently for his benefit, closing my eyes before he removed his hands. Once they were gone, I opened my eyes once more, somewhat missing seeing his aura, but right now, I didn't need an aura and some fancy colors to tell that Crowley was troubled. "Crowley?"

"Hmm?" He asked as he brought a hand to chin, putting him deep in thought.

"Crowley, is everything alright?"

He looked up at me, and seemed to remember where we were. "Oh, yeah, sorry, it was just confusing. I guess the white just has to do with how close I am to my true nature, I introduce others to new things. Bad things, but new things. It's one of my favorite things to do, other than spend time with you, and as far as purity goes, it's possible to have an aura and it not mean absolutely everything that's listed. Now, as far as spiritual...I'm a demon, I'm a spiritual being. A despised one, but one none the less. Finally, truth...I have always done my best to tell the truth."

"Ah, I see, that makes more sense." I nodded my head truthfully in understanding. "Say, I remember what colors are for which...what's the order of color for me? And before you answer...are there other colors?"

"Oh, yes, there's many other colors, shapes, actions, images, added on stuff that can represent a person's personality, it varies from person to person. Now, you...yours are, from outer layer to the most inner layer...blue, green, yellow, red...likely for passion, orange, violet, pink, and white."

"Wait...violet and pink!?" I asked with a feeling of amusement bubbling in my chest.

"Violet is highly spiritual, wisdom, intuition, but that last one might be a bit of a stretch with you." He joked with smug smirk.

"Ha, ha...very funny."

"From my point of view, it's absolutely hilarious. Pink is Love, sincerity, and friendship. However, the love that's in your aura holds multiple kinds, making it different shades of pink. There's romantic love, but you're...it's mixed in with some black...which means you're trying to...block...your romantic love." A look of pain crossed his features, and I couldn't fathom why, but it obviously bothered him a great deal. I didn't want to upset him further so I didn't ask. "Um...next is...you have familial love, which would be for the other angels...then there's love for material objects and food...they're just a slight shade different. Finally, there's your love for God, which is the brightest shade of pink. The shades don't have anything to do with strength as much as they do with what they are specifically. Now, saying that, there have been some humans gifted with the ability to see and read auras, but they have the most BASIC version. Just colors and no more than two or three at once depending on how advanced they are in being able to read auras."

"How did you learn all of that?" I wondered, but then realized it meant asking him to talk about his angelic life, which was supposed to be an unspoken rule, but because of my curiosity, that rule was often broken.

"I had a good teacher." He remarked with a small smile, but then the carriage stopped. "Ah, we must be here."

I looked out the window of the carriage and let out a joyful laugh. "Yes we are!" I got out of the carriage and waited for Crowley to do the same. Once we were both out, we headed inside, had a waiter take us to a table, and once one of them came to our table, I started telling him our order. "I'll have the strawberry crepe and he'll have...the apple and cinnamon crepe." I heard him snort out a laugh, grabbing onto my shirt sleeve tightly, while the other hand was covering his mouth.

"Is everything alright with your friend, Sir?" The waiter questioned.

"Oh, yes, everything is fine. Oh, and your finest wine...thank you."

The waiter gave me a weird look, but nodded and walked away with our menus. That's when Crowley started laughing so hard his whole body was shaking. Thankfully, I had the mind to miracle the other occupants to be further immersed in their conversations or other things than Crowley, because really, he needed the laugh. "Y-You...you got me an APPLE and cinnamon crepe! Oh my...! Oh, that's priceless, Angel! This...wait...you said you were tempting me with food." He looked at me with a look of amused shock.

"Taking a page out of your book, my dear." I joked, causing him to laugh even more.

"Oh! That's wonderful! You're tempting the tempter...with an APPLE and cinnamon crepe! APPLE! Oh...I'm going to be laughing about this for ages! Thank you, Aziraphale! I needed that." He regained his composure just in time as the waiter arrived with our wine, and when our food eventually arrived, we thoroughly enjoyed that too. All in all, not a bad day for getting captured, because I was dressed wrong. It was worth it. Not that I planned it, but it was worth it.


	9. Chapter 9

As I was organizing my books, and placing some new ones I had just received into their new places, I heard the bell chime on my door. "Oh, pardon me, I do believe I must've forgotten to flip the door sign to close."

"You know, Angel, that's probably the most polite I've ever heard you turn someone away." Came Crowley's voice, which instantly got my attention. I hadn't seen him in nearly half a year and that was when he told me that he decided to stay in London, too. He doesn't live to far from me, but I haven't been to his flat yet. I know the exact address just in case.

"Crowley! So good to see you again!" I told him as I set my last three books down, making my way over to him. Once I saw him, I noticed that he was dressed in his best suit with his favorite hat and cane. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, the usual." He started, tilting his head back and forth in a snake-ish manner. "Wanted to come see how you were doing."

"Come now, Crowley..." I rolled my eyes at him as I let out a breath of exasperation. "...you want something. What is it?"

"Well...how about you take a walk with me?" He offered, and I had to admit, the sound of a walk through the park did sound lovely. "We can go feed the ducks."

"Well...I have been meaning to take a break." I admitted as I looked around my bookshop. "Right, I'll go with you, but when we're at the park...THEN you'll tell me what's wrong?"

"Promise. It's why I've come to see you." He nodded before opening the door for me.

"Very well then." I sighed out as I walked out of the door.

Once we got to where I was going to feed the ducks, I took my hat off, and miracled some food for the ducks inside of it. "I've been thinking..." Crowley started with a focused look out onto the water. Whatever it was, it was apparently important to him. "...what if it all goes wrong? We have a lot in common, you and me."

"I don't know." I breathed out as I threw some of the crumbs out into the water. "We both may have started off as angels, but _YOU_ are fallen."

"I didn't really fall! I just...you know...sauntered vaguely downwards." The last part seemed as if he was trying to say it as quickly as possible so that I might not catch it, but I did, and I found it strange, but I wasn't going to ask about it. "I need a favor."

"We already have the agreement, Crowley." I tried to point out as I continued to feed the ducks. "Stay out of each other's way, lend a hand when needed."

"This is something else, for if it all goes pear-shaped."

"I like pears." I breathed out, thinking that a pear sounded good right about now.

"If it all goes _WRONG_, I want insurance."

"What?" I questioned carefully, furrowing my brow in confusion. _'What kind of insurance would a demon need!?'_

"I wrote it down. Walls have ears. Well, not walls, TREES have ears. DUCKS have ears. Do ducks have ears? Must do, that's how they hear other ducks."

I took the paper from his hand with pure curiosity, but when I read it, I felt cold, numb, and I also felt something die in my soul while my grace thrashed out in pain. "Out of the question!" I told him, trying to keep my voice steady. _'How could he ask this of me!?'_ I thought as I then fought the urge to cry.

"Why not?"

_'Why not!? Why NOT!?'_ I couldn't believe him and it only served to make my grace ache even further. "It would destroy you! I'm not bringing you a suicide pill, Crowley!"

"That's NOT what I want it for! Just insurance!"

"I'm not an idiot, Crowley." I whined, practically pleaded, for him to listen as my voice started to betray me. "Do you know what trouble I'd be in if they knew I was...fraternizing? It's completely out of the question!"

"Fraternizing!?" He growled out, sounding as if he was the one that was just pained beyond belief!

"Well, whatever you wish to call it!" I snapped, trying to will away the pain, but I know the effort was completely futile due to the amount of immense pain as the written words played around in my head over and over again, and the fact that CROWLEY had asked this of me! "I do not think there is any point in discussing it further."

"I have lots of other people to FRATERNIZE with, Angel."

"Oh, of course you do!" I scoffed out.

"I don't need you!"

"Well, and the feeling is mutual. Obviously!" As soon as the words left my mouth, I ached even further, because that wasn't true at all, but I was too angry to say or do anything about it. Instead, I threw the paper into the water, setting it on fire as I stormed off.

Once I made it back to my bookshop I locked the door, flipped the sign to close, walked up to my flat above the bookshop, closed THAT door behind me, moved to sit on my bed, and once there, I grabbed my pillow and sobbed. _'HOW COULD HE!?'_ I desperately asked within my own mind, and at my question, along with the conversation, all of the feelings I had spent centuries repressing came flooding full force, making it nearly impossible to breathe.

As I swam in the endless ocean that was the repressed feelings that exploded, I did my best to try and determine them. Surely they were just normal feelings of love, but what Crowley told me long ago about this feeling said otherwise. _'I have to be right! I can't feel like this! It's impossible! An angel can't feel this way for a demon! Especially THAT demon! The first tempter! It's just been...an abundant amount of gratification! Yeah, that's right! I'm going to go through the years, and see it's nothing more than that, and it'll make this hurt far less, because I can't...I just can't!'_

_The beginning: "Oh...you're an angel. I don't think you CAN do the wrong thing." It shouldn't have soothed me as much as it did, especially coming from a demon, but I was just grateful for the words. Then I remembered him saying, "I'll make sure you don't fall. It was so kind...so protective...but he had to have just been saying things at the time! It didn't mean anything! It couldn't have! "Admiring the stars?" I had asked him once the first storm had cleared. To which, he replied with, "Yes. They're quite beautiful from here." The smile that grew on his face as he said that was pure and honest, and it really shouldn't have been, but that's likely him enjoying his taste of freedom from Hell. He did say he like it better up top._

_The Ark: "Not the kids...you can't kill kids!" The way he seemed personally insulted or shocked was touching, and I was secretly glad that he at least felt that for the humans. I would say that was because he wouldn't be able to tempt them when they got older, but then I remembered finding him with seventeen children on the Ark, at the very bottom of it. When a child asked if God hated them, he had told them no. A demon would've said yes, and would've aimed to guide them away from God, but he didn't do that. He defended God. After that, he then told them a story. A story that was oddly similar to how they first met with some changes here and there. I then remembered how seeing him cry shattered something inside of me. I couldn't explain it then, and I can't explain it now, but seeing him cry...I knew I never wanted to see it again._

_Jesus' crucifixion: Then there was the whole crucifixion thing. He stayed, we argued, but he remained so patient. Later he spoke of love as if...as if he personally knew the feeling. If he knew the feeling, that meant he remembered it in Heaven, because demons were incapable of love...which then meant he loved someone in Heaven. I asked him and he admitted to it. Admitted to loving someone romantically, and his answer caused me pain._

_Rome: Eight years later I led him to the restaurant. Then, when we got there and he saw the food, the way he reacted to it was hilarious and if I had to admit it, which I should now since I'm analyzing my memories...it was adorable. Soon after that, I ate mine, showing him how to eat it, and he looked flustered, but then he had to go and tell me I tempted him and I was thrilled with the fact!_

_Wessex: As I went through the years I was brought to King Arthur's time. "Someone sitting here?" I asked him. "Not until you sit down, there isn't." He had commented and that had interested me a great deal. "Wait, that cup is for me?" I remember saying in pure shock. "It always is." He answered as if it were nothing, but it...it wasn't nothing._

_Paris: When he came to rescue me, it made my grace soar. I was so happy to hear his voice behind me as I was shackled up, about to be discorporated by a twisted man that enjoyed executions too much. Then, he gave me his power, which couldn't have been an easy thing to do or decide, but he did so, so that I could see his aura. After that, the way he found amusement and joy the second he heard the crepe I had ordered for him._

Brought back to the present, and with SO MANY memories, so many close calls, late night drinks, kind words, job swaps, the odd moments of him being kind and compassionate, but since THE beginning...there was always a tug of something, and I groaned before sobbing further into my tear stained pillow. _'I loved Raphael in Heaven, God likely knew how much I loved him, but I didn't know. Then...Crowley shows up, and it should be wrong, so very very wrong that I should love that quickly, but oh...I loved him the day we met! I love him. I love him! I love him, and...he wants Holy Water. He wanted ME to get it! Oh, why couldn't it be simple over gratification! I had to go and fall in love with a being that could never love! I've loved him since we met, which wasn't even half a week after Raphael died!'_

I should feel horrible about it. I should hate myself for it, considering how I loved Raphael since we created the stars together, but I can't. I can't be mad and I don't know why, but I AM mad at myself for loving Crowley at all! It hurts, and I hate it, but at the same time I don't! It's so infuriatingly frustrating and confusing!

With all of that in mind and that horrible realization that I had to try to deny for centuries, I didn't know what to do. Crowley was right about how it felt as well when he described it to me. It's how I've been feeling since I met him, and now that he wants Holy Water...no matter his reasoning he still asked me for it...and it hurts so DAMN MUCH! Now I'm scared of losing him!

I had never needed sleep, not really, and neither had Crowley, but he still slept, and considering how worn out I was from the graceache that started to affect my soul as well, I turned my pillow over, put it back in its place, changed my outfit to blue night clothes, and I allowed myself to lay down and fall asleep.

_When I opened my eyes next, I wasn't in my bed. I wasn't even on Earth. I was in outer space where Raphael and I helped God create. "H-How am I here?" I asked, but then I heard someone gasp from behind me. I turned around, and instantly fell to my knees._

_"Aziraphale? H-How are you here!?" He asked me as he walked closer to me, but I had no words to provide. "Aziraphale?"_

_"R-Raphael." I breathed out in a hushed whisper of disbelief._

_"Yes, I'm here, Aziraphale." He nodded his head before crouching down to wrap his arms around me. His voice was so soothing, and it was lighter than Crowley's. His hair was still jet black and just as I remembered it. In fact, everything about him was how I remembered it. "Question is, how are you here?"_

_I wrapped my arms around him like he was the only thing keeping me up. "Isn't this a dream? You're just a dream, right?"_

_"Yes, I am, but..." He pulled away and gave me a calculative look. "...never mind about that. I sense you've been crying. Is everything alright?"_

_"You're dead." I told him as I shook my head, looking down at the stars below me, as my knees rested high above them. "You died in battle."_

_He placed his hand on my shoulder like he used to and how Crowley had started to. Perhaps Crowley had seen him do it to me and that's why he had started it. "Aziraphale, what's wrong?"_

_"Why would it matter!?" I shouted as tears began to fall from my eyes. "You're DEAD! What would it matter if I told you! You won't be able to hear it or remember it! I would just be talking to a figment of my imagination!"_

_"Aziraphale, look at me, please."_

_"I can't! It's too painful! You're dead!" I then felt his hand leave my shoulder, but it soon lifted my chin up slowly until I WAS looking at him through watery eyes._

_"There we are." He smiled, but his eyes were filled with sorrow._

_"Why are you sad?" I asked him, wanting to relent to the dream that was too good to be true._

_"I'm sad for many reasons."_

_"But you can't be sad! You're dead! You're not really here!" I sobbed as I looked at him._

_"Think of it this way, Aziraphale, I'm here...because in your grace, I'm still alive. So, yes, I'm here, just not in a physical sense."_

_"S-So...y-you didn't..."_

_He smiled warmly at me and shook his head. "No. Not really, anyway. Lucifer did plunge his sword through my shoulder and I WAS indeed gone for a long while, but God took things from there, and that's all I can tell you. I've already told you more than I was supposed to. Don't ask me more about that, but, Aziraphale...I'm here."_

_I couldn't help the choked sob that left me as I leapt forward, knocking him on his back as I hugged him. "You're here!"_

_He laughed as he wrapped an arm around me, lifting us both up. "Yes, I'm here. Question is, how are you here?"_

_"What do you mean?" I asked him as I backed away, wiping my tears._

_"Well...you're in my dream. I'm dreaming right now. Have been for a while now. I don't have much else to do."_

_"Oh, well, then I don't know." I told him honestly as I looked around. "I've missed it up here."_

_"So have I." He sighed, which caught my attention._

_"Wait, you're not up here? Are you in Heaven?"_

_He let out a distant chuckle as he shook his head. "As far as all of Heaven and Hell are concerned...I'm dead."_

_"W-Well, what about when Crowley...do you know what Crowley did?" I asked quickly before I revealed too much. I didn't want him to feel insulted because of Crowley._

_His smile grew as he nodded his head. "Yes, I know very well what he did for those children back in Wessex. I don't mind in the slightest and it did spark belief of me, which God found wonderful, but don't go telling Crowley that."_

_"Wait, hang on, you talk as if you know him. Did you know him in Heaven?"_

_"You could say that. He and I...didn't really talk much, but I've been allowed to watch the world from where I'm at, and no, I won't tell you where I am. Now, back to the worrisome question...why were you crying?"_

_"Oh, well, I...I figured out some rather painful things. They're great and wonderful too, but right now...they're painful."_

_"What is it, then. You can tell me. It's not like I'M going to tell anyone."_

_Even though his words were meant as a joke, they were actually quite soothing, so I held onto them as I decided to tell him the truth. "Well...Crowley...a while back...told me what romantic love feels like. He asked me if I loved you romantically, and I...well...I found that I did. I loved you very much despite how very little time we spent with each other."_

_"I loved you too." He grinned brightly as a singular tear fell down his face, I didn't want to ask about it, because I figured it was there for the same mine were._

_"Y-You did?"_

_"Yes, very much. The moment I saw you and read your aura...then, it only increased as we created the stars together."_

_"Right, well, that's amazing, and I'm glad you've told me, but I...I believe...I've moved on from you. I...I have fallen in love with Crowley. I...It's selfish and...and wrong, but I...I fell for him when I met him. I just didn't know it until he told me what being in love felt like...and then I pushed the feelings as far back as I could, but now...he asked me for Holy Water and it hurt SO much! I went back through the years to find why it hurt so much, because it couldn't be because I loved him. I couldn't love him. It should've been impossible, and yet..." I laughed lightly despite myself as I shook my head. "...and yet, I do. So very much, but I can't tell him that, because he's a demon and therefore...he's incapable of feeling love."_

_I chanced a look at Raphael, and found that he was staring at me with widened eyes filled to the brim with pure astonishment, shock, amazement, and a few other somethings that I couldn't name. "I-Is that true?"_

_"Oh..." I whimpered out. "...you don't feel as if I've betrayed you, do you?"_

_"N-No! Not at all. I'm just wondering if that's true. Do you truly love the demon Crowley?"_

_"Hopelessly so, I'm afraid." I groaned in defeat. After admitting it, there was no way I was going to be able to stop. I realize that now._

_"Well...that's...surprising. I certainly didn't expect that." He stood up, and I followed his action until I was completely up, looking him in the eyes. "What would you do if he DID love you?"_

_My cheeks instantly felt warm at the question. "Well...I'm not quite sure, because it's not possible. Even if it were...I don't see how he would love someone like me. That demon could have anyone he wanted. He probably has had anyone he wanted for a night...being a demon and a tempter and all...but, if he was capable of such a thing, I don't think he'd waste it on someone like me."_

_"You're going to have to clarify what you mean by someone like you." He demanded in a kind and protective manner as he crossed his arms._

_"Well, I gave away my flaming sword, I'm always getting into trouble, I'm an ANGEL, I don't like some of the things he likes, I constantly remind him that he's fallen and instantly regret saying it after, but I do nothing to fix it, because...well...it's the truth, and I'm ridiculous sometimes. Even I know that. There's other reasons I'm sure, but those are off the top of my head right now. That, and he told me that he didn't need me...and I said that the feeling was mutual." When I said that last part, I saw Raphael wince with an indescribably look in his eyes. "What's wrong?"_

_"He shouldn't have said that to you."_

_"Well, regardless, he said it, and he's right. He doesn't need me. He's gotten along well enough without me. It's just...it hurts, and as much as I want to push the feelings back as far as they'll go and forget about them, knowing he could never feel the same way...I know that's not possible. That's why it hurt so much when he asked me for the Holy Water. It feels like he's going to leave...permanently...and I just...it was like he was asking me to give him a suicide pill, and I know what he's been through in Hell and I can't imagine how it feels to be fallen, but..."_

_"Did he tell you that he wanted to use it as a suicide pill?"_

_"He said that opposite, but..." I shook my head, letting out a heavy sigh. "...I don't believe him. Not after I've known him for as long as I have...anyway...I don't think I could refuse feeling the way I do...does it upset you?"_

_"No." He grinned. "It doesn't upset me in the slightest. I'm happy."_

_"Truly?"_

_"More than you know." He nodded his head. Soon after he said that, the space around us started fading into a white light. "Looks like you're waking up."_

_"B-But...I don't want to! What about you!?"_

_"Wake up, Aziraphale." His voice echoed before everything faded to white._

I woke up and was once again in my room, daylight pouring in through the window. I felt like a weight was lifted off of my shoulders as I sat up to rub my tired eyes, but a new one was placed on my grace with the knowledge I now obtained along with my complicated feelings. However, even with all of that, I still felt guilty for telling Crowley the feeling of not needing him was mutual, basically because it was far from that. For now, I would give him his space though. Perhaps he'll show up within the year or a couple years. Maybe by then, both of us will have cooled off.


	10. Chapter 10

Since that dream, I hadn't slept. I hadn't chosen to go to sleep, but I've kept my room clean as I usually did. I just didn't want to talk to Raphael, because it hurt to talk to him at first after so long and then to figure out that God's doing something secretive with him that I wasn't allowed to know about with her more than likely knowing how I felt, it angered me to no end.

Also since then, I hadn't seen Crowley, nor have I heard from him, which started to worry me, but I didn't want to go to his flat, him not be there, or me end up being a nuisance. At the moment, though, it was 1941 and I was currently arguing with Nazis, and the woman I had hired had turned on me, now pointing a gun at me. Then, I heard the door open, causing me to swiftly turn around to see who was coming in, and my eyes almost couldn't believe it. If I didn't know any better I would say that was Crowley. "Sorry, Consecrated ground! Oh! It's like...being at the beach in bare feet!"

_'It IS Crowley!'_ I screamed in my mind as a million things rushed through my mind, but my mouth wanted to ask the one that kept repeating itself over and over again as I watched A DEMON practically dance...badly...down an isle of consecrated ground. "What are you doing here!?" I asked, but it came out more irritated than I wanted, but well, I honestly was at this point. YEARS have passed since I had seen him last and only when I'm staring down the barrel of a gun do I see him!

"Stopping you getting into trouble!"

"I should've known! Of course! These people are working for you!"

He seemed to stop for a moment, looking genuinely insulted that I would think such a thing. "No! They're a bunch of half-witted Nazi spies blackmailing and murdering people! I just didn't want to see YOU embarrassed!"

"Mr. Anthony J. Crowley...your fame proceeds you."

"Anthony?" I asked him with a slight scoff. _'Of all the names you could've chosen to be your human name? You choose Anthony!?'_

"You don't like it?"

"No, no. I didn't say that." I answered, and it was true. I didn't dislike it, but it was unspeakably plain for someone like him. "I'll get used to it."

"The famous Mr. Crowley..." The woman holding the gun breathed out in awe for some reason. "...It's such a pity you must both die."

"What does the 'J' stand for?" I wondered, completely ignoring all three of the Nazis.

"It's just a 'J', really." He soon started dancing again, the ground harming his feet, possibly to no end, and I didn't know how long he could handle it, but then he noticed something behind us. "Look at that! A whole fontful of holy water! It doesn't even have GUARDS!"

_'No...don't...please don't...not after all this time.' _I pleaded silently.

"Enough babbling. Kill them both."

"In about a minute..." Crowley hastily began speaking. "...a German bomber will release a bomb that will land right _here_. If you all run away very _very_ fast, you _might_ not die. You won't enjoy dying. _Definitely_ won't enjoy what comes after."

"You expect us to believe that? The bombs tonight will fall on the East End."

"Yes. It will take a last-minute demonic intervention to throw them off course. Yes. You're all wasting your valuable running away time!" I couldn't believe he was going to have a bomb dropped on a CHURCH, but at the same time, he was also giving them a chance to run away and they weren't taking it. "And if, in thirty seconds a bomb DOES land here, it would take a REAL miracle for my friend and I to SURVIVE IT."

"A-A real miracle." I repeated, my irritation and curiosity of the situation growing exponentially at this point.

"Kill them. They are very irritating."

To my immense surprise, I watched as Crowley stopped, placing his feet completely flat on the ground before I heard the whistle of the bomb. I focused a miracle shield over Crowley and myself as fast as I could, and made it as strong as I was able. Once the explosion happened, we were no worse for ware, but Crowley had to clean his glasses. As I looked around at the rubble, I was reminded that it, indeed, was a church and Crowley, a demon, just willingly walked inside it to come bail me out of trouble...again. I took off my hat, held it to my chest, and spoke my mind. "That was very kind of you."

"Shut up!" He told me with the same tone he usually used when I tried to thank him for things like this.

"Well, it was. No paperwork for a start." At the word 'paper' I realized that I didn't shield the books and my grace sank in regret. "Oh! The books! I forgot all the books! Oh, they'll all be blown to-" Before I could finish my sentence I watched as Crowley leaned down and pulled the very same bag I had come in with, out of the dead Nazi's hand. There wasn't a single smudge on it.

When he handed it to me, our fingers brushed together, and I felt it. It was small, but it was there. It was love and it wasn't mine. "There's a little demonic miracle of my own. Lift home?" I looked down at the bag before looking at Crowley.

_'That's...that's not supposed to be possible, but...it's there. It's not human either. It's not much, barely a flicker, but there none the less...h-how is...th-that means he can...'_

"Angel, you coming?" He asked, interrupting me from my thoughts.

"Ah, y-yes, coming." I stuttered out, my grace flaring throughout my entire body as I made my way through the rubble towards him and his...that's new. He has an automobile. "Well, that's new." I mentioned before accidentally taking a misstep out of the rubble, causing me to nearly trip to the ground, but Crowley quickly caught me effortlessly, which made my grace do flips. I tried to calm it, but it wasn't working due to the new information I just gained from my book bag.

"You alright, Aziraphale?" He asked as he grabbed my arms, getting me to steadier ground.

"Yes, quite. Thank you for the, uh..."

"Angel, we've talked about this. Don't thank me." I nodded my head before getting into the car door he opened for me. Once he got in he grabbed the book bag and set it down in the back seat. "So...good to see you and your aura again, and interesting to see it's changed."

"Wait, is that possible?"

He smirked as he started the car, the engine making a pleasant sound just before he drove off. "It's very possible. Depending what a person decides or is put through, an aura can change drastically. Do you remember me telling you that you were blocking the romantic love part of your aura?"

I gulped, knowing where this was going, but didn't know how to stop it without letting him know. "Yes?"

"Well, you've released it. You've stopped trying to block it. So, who is it?"

"It's...you needn't worry about it."

"Oh, come now, Aziraphale? Let me at least guess...is it...Gabriel?"

"WHAT!? HIM!? No!" I wanted to laugh it was so hysterically wrong and I wondered if anything could romantically love that slave driving brute! As the years passed without Raphael, he grew more bitter, irritated, and annoyed. "He's annoying, strict, and I'm pretty sure he likes to pretend I'm the only angel in his garrison so that he can have me do all of the field work!"

Crowley laughed. He laughed hard, loud, and it was music to my ears after years of worrying about him and after what I felt from my book bag. "Fair enough. I'm pretty sure there was always a stick up his-"

"CROWLEY!" I scolded. He knew I didn't like that kind of language.

"Oh, fine, very well. I'll leave you alone. So, how have you been?"

"No." I muttered, but I knew he caught it.

"Excuse me?" He questioned as his driving slowed while we took a turn.

"No. I'm not going to answer you until you answer me. Where have you been?" I asked him as I turned to look at him, trying to gauge his expression, which seemed to look guilty. I couldn't help but mentally shout, _'Good!'_

"I was asleep until last year."

"When did you fall asleep?"

"The same day as our fight about the Holy Water. You left, then I left, and I went home. After a while, I was worn out and thought a nap might do me some good, but then...it turned out to be more than a nap. I guess I was doing miracles in my sleep, because I was able to still pay bills somehow. Woke up and EVERYTHING was different."

"Did you not look for me?"

"Where was there to look. I always know where you're at."

THAT caught my attention. "HOW!? I've always wondered that."

"I just do." He sighed out, which told me that he wasn't going to tell me that particular secret.

"So...I was in a church, and you_ knew_ I was in a church..."

"I saw you going into a church with a bag of books, and I decided to listen in. Then, when it seemed like it was getting to be a bit too much, I waved a miracle that took longer than expected, and then I walked in."

"You mean DANCED in...rather badly might I add."

"You might." He chuckled. "Glad to see you can still make jokes at my expense, Aziraphale. How's the bookshop been?"

"Great, except for the fact that I've had customers."

He chuckled lightly at that. "You're supposed to WANT customers, you know. So they can come in and buy one of your books, take it home, read it, and-"

"STOP! You'll give me nightmares!" I joked, letting out a laugh.

"Oh, perish the thought. Since when do you sleep?"

"Well, I slept the once...the same day that you started your...'nap'. I had a rather nice dream."

"Hmm..." He hummed, sounding as if he were deep in thought. "...I did too."

"Really? What was it about?" I asked carefully as my curiosity grew more and more the longer I sat next to him.

"It involved my past and that's all I'm saying about it." He pulled up next to the bookshop, I got out, then I noticed he turned off the car before doing the same. "Am I allowed to come in? I imagine you're still cross with me, but I hadn't seen you in nearly eighty years, which means you haven't seen me...unless you've stopped by my flat while I was asleep."

"No." I breathed out as I watched him grab the book bag out of the back seat. "I hadn't gone to your flat. I honestly thought you were avoiding me, so..."

"Yeah, about that..." He looked at the book bag for a moment before closing the doors to the car. "...can I come inside?" He asked as he walked over to me until we were both standing in front of the door.

I couldn't help the soft smile that appeared on my face as I snapped my fingers, opening the doors. "After you, Crowley." He gave me a nod before stepping inside. Once I walked in after him, I noticed that his jaw dropped as he looked around. "Wow. You got a lot more books."

"You noticed?" I asked him as I closed the door and locked it, flipping the sign to 'closed'.

"Of course I notice! I've been in here enough times before my prolonged nap. I know where every book is."

_'Be still my beating grace!'_ I mentally screamed as I tried to calm myself. After all, the small bit of love that came off of the bag was just that. Small. It was possible, which was amazing and wonderful, but that didn't mean anything. It could still be love for a friend and nothing more. "Would you like some wine?" I offered as I watched him set the bag on the counter nearby.

"That would be great right about now." We bother walked into the back room where I miracled a bottle of wine and two already filled wine glasses. He sat down just before I did, took his glass, drank it, and then let out a sigh that held no emotion yet every emotion. "Aziraphale...I've never had to say something like this before...even before I fell...but...I shouldn't have told you that I didn't need you. I realized that not long after I made it back to my place that day. It's not true...and...well..."

"I forgive you." I told him after my eyes stopped widening in shock at what he was valiantly attempting to say.

He took off his sunglasses, setting them down on the table in front of him along with his glass. "Thanks, but...you can't forgive a demon. Demons are naturally unforgivable."

"Then why are you apologizing?" I questioned as my grace somewhat whimpered at his words.

"Because, I at least have the decent sense to admit when I'm wrong about something, and it was wrong for me to say that to you. It was untrue, and I promised that I would never lie to you. That day...I lied to you when I said I didn't need you. You're my friend. Of course I need you."

'Friend.' I thought with a hint of pain etching its way onto my grace and soul. 'That's what the feeling of love was. Friendship. Well...at least it was still love of SOME sort.' I nodded my head as I gave him an honest smile, because I truly was glad that it was at least something. "I lied as well. The feeling wasn't mutual." I left it at that, because it still isn't mutual.

His smile slowly grew as he nodded his head. "I um...had my suspicions that it might not have been."

"Glad to hear it. So, would you like me to catch you up with everything that's happened while you were asleep?"

"Yes, please, and while we're at it, you can tell me why you suddenly decided to not be updated with the times. You used to be so good at it."

_'Because, this coat is at least somewhat of a reminder of the day I gave up trying to repress my feelings for you.'_ However, I couldn't say that, so I just simply answered, "Oh, well, this outfit had really grown on me. I'm quite fond of it."

"Huh...makes sense for you, I suppose. So!" He clapped his hands together, leaning forward, propping his elbows on his bony knees before propping his head on his hands that were interlaced with one another. "Tell me what I've missed."


	11. Chapter 11

_The year was now 1967 and since Crowley had woken up from his 'nap' or since we saw each other again after so long, I took to sleeping more, but I never went back to the realm of space where I saw Raphael again. That is...until now. As I opened my eyes, I was in space again, near the Alpha Centauri that Raphael and I created. "Hello again, Aziraphale."_

_I quickly turned around and saw Raphael standing there patiently with his staff. "I haven't seen you in such a long time..."_

_"A hundred and five years to be exact." He chuckled out. "Dream sharing or dream walking can be rather tricky. Usually on the Archangels were able to do it, and that was either with each other or God. It's due to how powerful the bond is. Anyway, I'm actually here on purpose."_

_"Truly? But...if you can do this on purpose...why haven't you..."_

_"It's painful sometimes...to dream with you here. Not physically, but emotionally."_

_"I-Is this about Crowley!?" I asked quickly as a pang of guilt crept inside my heart._

_"Yes, but not what you think. The emotional aspect of the pain is due to the fact there's so much I want to tell you, but I can't. So, back to the reason why I'm here, I was wondering how much you're up to date with Crowley."_

_"Well...not much if I'm to be honest."_

_"You might want to see him tonight." He sighed out. "He's been attempting to gather people together for a caper...a robbery. He's going to have them go into a church and steal Holy Water. If they mess it up, he could be destroyed permanently. No coming back from it."_

_I felt my grace plummet to my feet with a pure and cold ache. "N-No..." I whispered out._

_"Yes. He's determined to get it."_

_"H-He...but I...I had thought..."_

_"You're going to have to trust him, Aziraphale. You're going to have to trust him to not use it on himself."_

_"HOW CAN I!?" I shouted as tears started to fall down my face. "With all he's been through...and with the threat of Heaven and Hell on both of our necks...he WOULD be the type of person that would sacrifice himself for me...he's done it before." I looked up at him, not quite realizing that I was shouting at the stars beneath me, and I noticed a fond expression on his face. "What's that look for?"_

_"Nothing, it's just...I can tell how much you love him."_

_"Which is precisely why all of this hurts so much!"_

_Ignoring my outburst, Raphael lifted his palm, facing it to the stars above us and a thermos appeared in his hand. "God knows what he wants to do. God knows that he wants the Holy Water. So, God has blessed the water Herself. I was allowed the decision to give it to you, which...is a lot more outstanding than you know, but...this is my choice, and I'm transferring that choice over to you. This water is the Holiest of Holy Water, and you can either keep it yourself or give it Crowley, but you must take it from me."_

_I took the thermos with shaking hands and I could hear the water swishing around in it. Interestingly enough it was a tartan looking thermos. "But...this is a dream..."_

_"And I'm an Archangel with a lot of dream walking under his belt. The thermos will appear in your hand when you wake up. It's up to you whether or not you give him the thermos and let him have the Holy Water for himself, or you keep it, not tell him about it, and the humans will go through with the robbery. Now, I'm going to force you awake, and you're going to have quite the headache, but you'll only have about six hours to decide, and you'll need every minute to think carefully about your options. In six hours, he will meet up with the humans."_

He snapped his fingers and I was suddenly blinded by white light in my bedroom, my head throbbing against my skull. "Oh...my head..." Just as I was about to press a hand to my forehead, I felt my left hand holding something. I looked at it, and sure enough, the thermos was there with water still inside. I felt a chill rush down my spine as I remembered my choices.

Unfortunately it did take a full five hours and forty-five minutes to decide, and I had a horrible feeling I was going to regret it, but I pushed through and I tried feeling for Crowley's aura. I always knew what it felt like since the wall. It was so different from everyone else's, and perhaps that's how he was able to find me all these years, but now it was my turn. As it was reaching closer to the sixth hour, I was starting to worry I was too late, but then I saw Crowley off in the distance walk to his car. I used my angel wings and flew faster and harder than I ever had, landing gracefully in his car with the thermos still in tact. He closed the car door and then immediately noticed me. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to have a word with you."

"What?"

"I work in Soho, I hear things. I hear that you're setting up a...caper. To rob a church. Crowley it's dangerous! Holy water won't just kill your body! It will destroy you completely!" I informed him, pleading him to see reason before I showed my decision.

"You told me what you think, a hundred and five years ago!"

"And I still haven't changed my mind! But I can't have you risking your life! Not even for something dangerous. So..." I grabbed the thermos and gently handed it to him. "...you can call off the robbery. Don't go unscrewing the cap." My breathing became heavy, my soul was sobbing, and my grace was thudding against my chest, because I was essentially handing Crowley the most powerful suicide pill, and I was trusting him to NOT use it.

He took it from me as carefully as I was giving it, and we could both hear the liquid inside. "It's the real thing?"

"The holiest." I confirmed, but I wasn't about to tell him who gave it to me.

"After everything you said." I nodded my head as I was trying to push away the graceache I was suffering. "Should I say thank you?"

"Better not."

"Can I drop you anywhere?" He asked, but more than anything I wanted to get out of the car, but at the same time, I didn't want to leave only to come back and never see him again.

"No, thank you." I chanced a look at him and saw a flurry of emotions cross his features at once. The first three were guilt, astonishment, and wonder. "Oh, don't look so disappointed. Perhaps one day we could...I don't know...Go for a picnic. Dine at the Ritz." I so desperately wanted to hope that those could be possibilities, so I was doing what Raphael told me to do. I was going to trust him and never ask about the Holy Water ever again.

"I'll give you a lift. Anywhere you want to go."

His words started to sound a bit like him trying to hold onto me before saying goodbye, and I couldn't handle it. "You go to fast for me, Crowley." I got out of the car as quickly as I could before miracling myself back inside my bookshop.

I kept myself as busy as I could for the next four hours, but the mental and emotional exhaustion started to get the better of me, and I decided I should go to sleep. I got ready as I usually did, but as soon as my head hit the pillow, I found myself falling asleep faster than ever.

_When I opened my eyes, I was back in space next to the nebulae Raphael helped God create, but rather than behind me as usual, Raphael was now in front of me, his hands overlapping each other in front of his robe as an extremely grateful and proud smile appeared on his face. "I was beginning to wonder if you would ever go to sleep or if I was to sleep until you arrived. Thankfully I've only been here an hour."_

_"Why have you been waiting for me?" I asked him as my curiosity about his presence continued to grow._

_"To tell you thank you. I know that couldn't have been an easy decision."_

_"Right...so...the thermos...that's more than enough to prove to me that the first time I saw you in my dreams...you were really and truly there. Will I ever no where you are?"_

_"I can't tell you that." He gave a half frown with sympathetic eyes. "But, I've been witnessing your adventures along with the adventures of humanity. Are you alright?"_

_"Yes...well...no, but I will be. I'll eventually be okay. I'm going to trust Crowley with the thermos and I'm not going to mention it ever again."_

_"That's good." He nodded once. "Let me ask you something, though. How did you find him?"_

_"Oh, I um...I remembered what his aura FELT like and I...I followed that."_

_"Really now?" He asked with an impressed tone as his eyes shone with something like intrigue. "What does his aura feel like?"_

_"Similar to yours actually if I'm to be honest, but there's some distinct differences. The similarities are...warm, passionate, calm, strong, and stubborn."_

_"Hey, now!" He laughed out warmly as he crossed his arms with a highly amused smirk._

_"It's true!" I grinned. "Now, the differences are his is also fragile yet rough, joyful yet filled with sorrow or regret, and then there's the Heavy weight of Hell on his aura, but somehow...there's still a lightness to it in more than just weight."_

_"You're quite the Guardian Angel indeed."_

_"I'm uh...not a Guardian Angel."_

_He snorted out a laugh as he shook his head. "Yes you are. You're on Earth and you've been looking after humanity. To feel auras takes a great deal of strength, but you can READ the strength too? That's more than a little impressive. It was one of the reasons I was to teach angels to become Guardian Angels. I was going to teach them how to see and read auras so that they could be proper Guardian Angels, but alas, a lot of them are face palming a lot of the time. Unfortunately, I'm still known as dead, so I can't help them like I'd like to, which is incredibly frustrating."_

_As he spoke, I remembered something Crowley told me. "Hey, Raphael...?"_

_"Yes, Aziraphale?"_

_"Crowley told me that you didn't talk to anyone much."_

_"No. I didn't. I mostly just talked to the other Archangels and God. It wasn't that talking to the other angels was a waste of my time or anything, it was just that I was waiting."_

_"Waiting?" I asked with a tilt of my head._

_"Yes, I was waiting for someone that would be able to understand me. In The beginning with the much newer angels that were around long before you, I would talk, but they wouldn't quite understand what I was saying, and they never asked questions. They just...nodded their heads and went along with it. I didn't like ordering someone, it left a raw feeling inside me. Then you show up. You bumped into me and I asked you questions, but you didn't JUST say yes or no. You explained your answer, which was intriguing to say the least and the fact that you seemed to not know me or the other Archangels. Then, you being the first angel to ask me a question, you asked me...'What's today?' And I knew that I wanted you to help me create. I knew you'd be great at it. Your aura already told me that, but you were MUCH MORE of a conversationalist than any other angel. Even more so than my brothers and sisters."_

_"Oh...wow." I blinked at him in shock as my grace pounded at his words._

_"Yeah, I wasn't really going to mention it. I thought it may make me sound a bit um...condescending? Yeah, that's a good word for it. Anyway, thank you for giving Crowley the thermos. I hope I can tell you everything about my situation someday, but that's not happening anytime soon. Just...don't ever give up on him. He won't admit it, but he's afraid you'll give up on him."_

_"What!? Why!?"_

_"Because...you're and angel and he's a demon. He believes that someday...you won't want to be by his side anymore."_

_"And how do you know all of this?" I asked as I quirked a brow. "I understand that you can read auras, and that he was an advanced angel so he learned how at some point, and I understand that you've watched us, but how do you know what he thinks?"_

_"It's time to wake up, Aziraphale." He whispered with saddened eyes, but an amused smile, which was incredibly confusing. Then, my vision went white._

I jolted up in my bed, breathing heavily from the rush of being pushed awake, noticing that it was dawn. "What was that look for?" I wondered, but then I wondered if I might ever get a definitive answer as to where he is, what he's doing, why God is keeping him a secret, and how he's able to communicate with me through dreams, but WON'T do so through anything else. _'A mystery for another day.'_ I groaned in my mind as I got dressed for work, wondering when I'll understand.


	12. Chapter 12

When Crowley came to me with Antichrist news, I nearly panicked. 'This...this is the end?' But then he came up with the idea to be the boy's Godfathers in a way, which was an interesting concept. So much so that I said, 'Well, I'll be damned.' Which ended up pulling a highly amused and smug look from Crowley as he said it wasn't so bad once you get used to it. Coming from him, I know it's a joke, but it wasn't funny at the moment.

Eleven years later and it turned out we had the wrong boy. We kept going back and forth, wondering what we should do. Eventually I wondered if perhaps something during the baby swap had gone wrong. It had. We went to the hospital the Antichrist was brought to, and it felt loved. It was strange. Then, Crowley pulled a miracle that I thought was rather cruel. That is, until he told me that they were all having miraculous escape attempts. I told him he was nice and he pushed me up against the wall. My grace was in a state of shock as it was stuttering over itself while my soul was no longer useful as it started to feel like it was trying to leave my body with how close he was to me.

When we left the hospital Crowley eventually hit a woman riding a bicycle. He kept saying she hit him, but had he been paying attention to the road...anyway, when I was able to get him to give her a ride, because I miracled a bicycle rack on the back of the Bentley, I felt a bit smug to be honest, and he knew it. So, he mocked me like a child, but that was fine. It was a bit endearing in a way. Then when the girl noticed I had fixed her bike by putting gears on it, Crowley sarcastically said, 'Oh, Lord...heal this bike!' It took all I had not to laugh at the way he did it, but all I could do was tell him I got a bit carried away. Then, the woman accidentally left the infamous book that I had been asked for, for centuries and I became enraptured in it.

Eventually, Crowley decided that we needed to meet at the bandstand, which ended horribly. When I told him that we weren't friends...that I didn't even like him, I nearly cried with how much I was hurting myself, but then he kept going, which replaced my guilt with wrath. Then, he went ahead and said we were on OUR side...and I...I told him there was no OUR side anymore. I told him that it was over. The look he gave me and the fact he didn't have anything to add...not even a witty remark...I felt more shame and guilt than I ever had in my long long life, because I knew then that he took that as me giving up on him, despite how much his offer to run off together made my grace dance. Not only that, but the destination he wanted to go to.

I had a run in with the other Archangels, and I could FEEL the wrath and menacing aura surrounding them. Especially when Uriel pushed me up against the wall. It was entirely different from how Crowley had done it. Uriel acted as if she wanted me to BECOME part of the wall. After that I tried to contact a higher power, hoping for either the Almighty or Raphael, but instead I got Metatron, who was not helpful in the slightest. Then, Shadwell came in and ended up getting me to back up into the circle, causing me to be discorporated. It was interesting to say the least, and when I was being ordered to go join the ranks, I decided then that I had never quite been a good angel. I had always been different, and I didn't want to be on a side that was going to be SO determined to destroy the world that God created with the humans being nothing more than casualties in Heaven OR Hell's eyes. The only person that felt the same as me was Crowley, and that's the only side I belonged on anymore. It was thinking of him that I remembered some time in Russia he had to possess a muscular young man, because he was still expected to work._ 'Demons can possess bodies. Demons are the same stocks as angels. Demons have kept the powers they had in Heaven before falling.'_ With that thought I touched the globe, found Crowley, he said he lost his best friend, which hurt a bit, because he said we were friends...and I refused him, but then he had to go and lose his best friend too...and I was jealous that he had another friend in the first place...foolish of me really. After that, I found Madam Tracey.

We then thankfully met up at the Tadfield airbase, but after Adam's friends dealt with the horsemen, Lucifer started coming, and Crowley fell to the ground in much the same way I always thought I would if Raphael ever took his hand off me while in Lucifer's presence, but at the same time I felt the ring sending warm pulses throughout my body, telling me that Raphael had put some kind of protection on it before giving it to me. Crowley was going to give up. CROWLEY of all beings! He was going to GIVE UP! I already made him feel helpless enough, I knew he would need some incentive, something he cares about. Something he wouldn't want to lose. I picked up the sword and contemplated it could be as I looked it, but then I was brought back to the feeling in 1941. 'Come up with something or...I'll never talk to you again!' That got him to push against the aura, taking us somewhere I didn't recognize, but it immediately released my wings, allowing me to relax. We both spoke to Adam, telling him he was fine the way he was. That reality would listen to him. I told him that we would be by his side for good or for evil, and as both Crowley and I grabbed his hands, it felt like Raphael was there too. Then Crowley said he was going to START TIME! I didn't even know he was capable of such a thing! How advanced of an angel was he!? That was a question for another time.

The Apocalypse was averted and now we were at Crowley's flat that I haven't been to before. It was all grey walls, sharp corners, stone, tile, thin carpet, but as he was showing me the house, I noticed the plants to my right. "My goodness!" I gasped. "Crowley! They're beautiful!"

"Don't tell them that!" He groaned. "You'll inflate their egos."

"Oh, Crowley, really!" I rolled my eyes as I walked away from the plants, continuing to follow Crowley. Once we reached a door at the end of the left hallway, my eyes widened. Because we passed the living area, the office, the greenhouse room, the kitchen, and the only other room left was his bedroom. "Erm...why are you taking me to your bedroom?"

"It's the only place that neither Heaven nor Hell can spy on me."

"Wait, has Heaven been spying on you!?"

"Angel, please focus." He groaned out as he opened the door, and what it opened to left me speechless. It was _completely_ different from the rest of the flat. It wasn't all chromatic and constant sharp edges. No, not at all, and I can tell whatever miracle he used to take us to that strange place was used in here, making the room bigger on the inside. The entire area looked as if it was in a different realm. There were no walls or ceiling. There was fresh green grass and the smell that came with it.

"Crowley...your room..."

"Yeah...I'll...explain that one another day."

"Is it even a room?"

"No...it's a completely different dimension that I created." He sighed out while I continued to look around.

There was blue sky above with some clouds flying overhead. There was an honest breeze with the scent of lavender and mint being carried on it, and as I looked around, there were many different types of trees, it was almost like his own Eden. There was a rather large canopy bed that was made of oak wood, and the frame went upwards without any curtain, but the frame also had a design of branches and leaves coming out of it. It looked positively comfortable. I then noticed there was a large pool of water that seemed crystal clear and endless about ten feet away from his bed. "What's the pool for?"

"It's for getting my wings clean. I do still take care of them. Now, Angel, you can gawk at my dimension later. I think I know what Agnes' prophecy means, and it's NOT good." I looked at him and noticed how serious he was, but that was also when I noticed that his wings were out like in that other place. "It says choose your faces wisely for soon you shall be playing with fire. YOU'RE the one that caught it, Angel, so that fire part is pointed directly at you. Hellfire to be exact. We went against Heaven and Hell. We advised a kid to stop Armageddon! We ignored them! We snarked at them! They aren't going to just write a stern letter or torture us for a few weeks, months, years, or even millennia! They're going to kill us completely with our respective witch's pyres. Except yours will be literal."

"S-So...what do you propose?" I asked as I walked closer to him, my feathers waving in the breeze. I turned around to look at them and I noticed the door was gone.

"First off, don't worry about the door. It'll appear when I need it again. Secondly...I say that we switch bodies."

I snorted out a laugh, shaking my head in disbelief. "You can't be serious! We would probably explode!"

"It's either we explode in an attempt to keep the other from permanently dying, or we SUFFER in front of all those who hate us and want to separate us, giving them a win in the end ANYWAY!"

"Alright, fine, but what about our auras?"

"Give me your ring." He breathed out holding out his hand.

"NO!" I shouted, my grace writhing with fury.

"Angel, we're going to switch bodies, so I'm going to need it anyway. I'm going to take some of my clothes and your ring, and I'm going to shift our auras into them. THAT way, Heaven will really think I'm you and Hell will think you're me. They're likely not going to wait more than just tomorrow, so we'll have to figure this out rather quickly."

"I'll give it to you on ONE condition. You tell me how you're so powerful." I twisted my ring nervously on pinky finger, not expecting him to say anything, and I realized I was being a bit unfair, but this was Raphael's ring.

"I was a high up angel." He stated plainly. "I wasn't just an ordinary angel. You've heard of all the different types of angels, I was high up, but not too high up. I wasn't an average angel. Tell me, Aziraphale, do you know how high your station is?"

"I'm a Principality." I grumbled. "I'm supposed to be one higher than Gabriel and the other Archangels, but I'm pretty sure they pretend I'm just another normal angel."

"That's likely due to you gaining Raphael's attention. That'll all change if we get through this, because if we do, between you and me there will not be any higher or lower. We will be equal. Now, I won't tell you my station, but I've told you a lot more than I would've normally. Please, at least give me that."

An icy wave of guilt crashed over me as I remembered all the times Crowley had been there for me, had asked me not to ask about his past, and had been so patient with me, yet here I was...demanding he tell me. "I understand. I'm sorry."

"It's alright." He nodded his head as I handed him my ring. I watched as he miracled a pair of clothes I was apparently to wear as him if the body swap worked, and even I had to think they were quite ridiculous, but if it was Crowley, it was Crowley. "Now, when I do this...it's not going to hurt, but it's going to feel strange."

"How do you know?"

"I don't." He shrugged. "I'm putting this on faith, like I've always put my faith in you."

My grace was rushing faster in my ears than anywhere else, hearing him saying such things. I stepped closer and nodded my head, giving him the go ahead. He placed his hand on my chest, making me feel warm all over. It was comforting, warm, and right. Then, he slowly pulled his hand away, and I saw it. It was a ball of light, colors, and shapes. "I-Is that my aura?"

"Yes, it is." He grinned just before letting out a delightfully excited giggle that I had NEVER heard come from him. "Oh, Aziraphale, it's quite beautiful! Even more so in a pure form. I had never done this before, but I'm sure I can do this." As he said that I watched as he handled my aura as if it were the most precious thing in the world, which caused my grace to thump HARD against my chest, and interestingly enough something happened to the pink aura, but I was too fascinated to say anything. Then, he took the ring and merged the two together. Once he did that, it was if my aura wasn't even there. All that was there was a golden ring. "HA!" He shouted with a proud yet astounded expression. "I DID IT, AZIRAPHALE! LOOK!"

"I see...I saw...my aura is no longer there...so...am I soulless now or..." I looked at the ring rather upset that the beautiful ball of light and color was gone.

"No! No, it's not that at all! You're still you! Your aura is just the energy you give off. The way I bound it to the ring is that...well...you remember the masquerades?" I nodded my head fondly. "Right, well, this ring will be my mask, and my clothes will be yours. We're still ourselves underneath. An aura is your energy, who you are, what you feel, and it's just what others can see about you. When we switch back, I'll put our auras back as they were as well. Wow! Oh, I can't believe I did it! This is incredible!"

"Crowley, I've never seen you this excited about...anything." I told him honestly. He was acting...well...wonderful and...angelic.

"Oh, sorry, it's just..." He cleared his throat. "...never mind, come here." I did as he asked, watching as he gently and slowly grabbed my hand the ring was on, and he let out a shuddering breath as he slipped it back on my pinky finger. Now, I can understand excitement over figuring out you could do something you didn't know you could do before, but that...that particular reaction was interesting. "Right, now for my clothes, and uh...we'll need to walk and talk like each other. We'll have to be VERY convincing, which means you'll have to be very brave and I'll have to keep my mouth shut. Shouldn't be too hard...at least...I don't think so."

"Right...well...how do we switch?" I asked him as I watched him repeat the action on himself, but with his aura and his clothes. He then snapped his fingers and changed into those clothes.

"Give me your hand angel. Just like you did when we were on the wall together." I did as he asked, and he grinned at me. "Good, now, you were meant to be a Guardian Angel, which means you naturally have a talent for auras. The soul is nearly no different. Mine and yours will be a touch different though, but when we start you should definitely notice and just keep going to the middle until you find something that's completely me. I'll do the same for you, BUT we also have to reach for the others soul."

"Why?" I asked quickly as I looked at our clasped hands.

"Because, that way you can move your soul into this body, and I can move my soul into yours. My soul will be in your body. That means, when I go to Heaven looking like you and I step into Hellfire..."

"You..._I_...won't get burned!"

"Right, and _your_ soul will be in _my_ body, keeping me safe from the Holy Water."

"This...this might just work!" I laughed out. "Alright." He closed his eyes, so I did the same. I searched his soul, and it felt cool on the outside. Not cold or icy, just...cool. Like a summer breeze. The closer I moved with my mind, the warmer it got. It was nearly scorching for a moment, as if it was boiling my entire body, but then in a flash it was the same comforting warmth his aura carried. However, in it I saw flashes of memories. Memories he and I shared starting from the wall, but they were all going nearly faster than I could manage to see. Faster than a shooting star. Faster than the speed of light. I quickly realized that I was searching the inner most parts of his soul. I willed myself to stop at the image of him defending seventeen children on the Ark, and just as I did, it was no longer images but scents. It smelled like sulpher, fire, brimstone, but it also smelled like the cologne he wore. It wasn't moving rapidly like the images were, so I just searched for one particular scent that came to mind. Apple and cinnamon crepes. Once I picked it, it then moved on to feeling and I already knew where to go. I chose the feeling of love around my book bag, because it was so different, so him, no matter if it was just friendship or not. Crowley defied all explanation. With that, I whispered the only things I could think of to describe what Crowley meant to me. _'Crowley is Ineffable to me. He's a protector, a healer, a kind heart, a steady hand, a voice of reason, an unwavering heart. He is the fire that gives warmth in the winter, the sulpher that marks him as fallen while he still stays unique from the others, he's the brimstone that glows with his bravery, and he's a tempter that was tempted to apple and cinnamon crepes. What he means to me...is Ineffable.'_ With that one thought I felt a physical shift. Once the shift was over, I opened my eyes, and mine were opening right back at me. "H-How long were we like that?" I asked him, to which he grabbed my (his) wrist, and he smirked at the time.

"Ten seconds. Time moves funny inside souls, doesn't it?"

"Yes." I breathed out in barely a whisper. "It certainly does."

"Good, now, we'll stay like this until after the punishments. First, we need to walk and talk like each other."

"Agreed."


	13. Chapter 13

Needless to say, but the body swap went well, and even now, I was still looking back with extreme amusement as I remembered how the Archangel looked when I got her to miracle me a towel. Now, it was still the same year, but it was also the middle of October. I was enjoying being able to run around my bookshop, knowing that the end of the world was averted. I've had a lot on my mind as of late and couldn't wait to tell Crowley about it. As I was sliding a book back in place I heard the jingling of the bell above my door, and knew immediately who it was. "Angel?" He called out, and I swiftly made my way there.

"Ah, Crowley. Glad you could make it."

"Always for you, Angel."

"Well, that hardly seems fair. Don't you have anything you want to do now that you're no longer under the stress of your former employers?" I guided him to where we usually sat when we he came over.

"No, not really." He shrugged. "What did you expect me to want to do?"

"Well..." I furrowed my brow, trying to think of an answer, because honestly, I hadn't thought about it. "...I hadn't thought of it really."

"I see, well, I'm happy where I'm at." He stated as he took the wine glass I had just poured. "What about you? No new miracles, or rather...temptations? I know you had fun doing my job."

I rolled my eyes as I allowed a short laugh to leave my throat. "I'll admit, I found it fun, but no, I'm also happy here. Although...I was thinking...perhaps I'll leave London."

At my word, Crowley choked on his wine, causing some of it to come out of his mouth. I quickly miracled away the mess once he was calmed down. "Y-You what!?" He asked with a dry and hoarse voice. "I-I thought you said you didn't want to leave?"

"I don't. Not like we had before. Not wandering anywhere and everywhere, and I don't want to travel country to country right now. I saw a lovely place in South Downs that I think would be perfect for us, and-" I didn't get to speak another word before Crowley shot up off of the couch like a rocket with widened eyes.

"What do you mean...US!?"

"Well, I thought it was rather obvious, my dear boy."

"The fuck it is! Wh-What...I mean...Angel...I..."

"Crowley..." I started, guiding him to sit back down. Thankfully, he complied. Once he was seated, I sat in my spot and looked at his unblinking uncovered gaze. "...we've been through a lot together you and I. We know each other better than anyone." I let out a soft laugh as I looked down to the floor. "I mean, we swapped bodies for crying out loud! I thought that...perhaps...since I'm never going to sell a book, I could just turn all of this into a personal library, you can have your greenhouse and your garden, because I KNOW you want one, and there, we can both look up at the stars. We'll be able to see them much clearer than here. Every now and then I would catch you marveling at the stars. I remember it well, one particular time."

"Oh?" He asked, still a bit breathless.

"Yes...when we were on the wall after the storm."

"Hmm...yes...it was beautiful from Earth." He nodded his head, his eyes still wide, but calmer now. "Angel, the cottage...are you asking me to move in with you?"

"Yes. That's the part I thought was obvious. Not only that, but after six millennia of knowing each other, saving the world together, and then fooling Heaven and Hell together, I think it's the least we're owed. A place that we can relax and do as we wish. No more arrangement. We can just be us. Unless...you don't want to."

"No! I think...I like the idea, Angel, it was just a bit unexpected. Are you alright?"

"Quite." I answered him honestly. Truth be told, after I went to bed the night after the swap, I saw Raphael again and he said that Crowley and I were free. I had asked him if I could know what happened to him, and the answer I got back was better than the past answers, but it was still a bit cryptic. He told me that he'll know when he can show himself. "Is something wrong?"

"No, like I said. I like it. If you're sure...then...yeah. I would like to do that. However...I have a rule."

"What is it?" I wondered as I took a sip of my wine.

"No tartan drapes, couches, floors, or any kind of tartan fabric in, on, or around the house."

I couldn't help but bellow out a laugh at that, nodding my head. "Fair enough, but not everything can be sharp corners, grey, black, and...modern."

Once I was calm, I looked at him, and he had a soft smile with fond eyes, staring at me. I would even dare say it was a loving look, which made my grace do a rather ungraceful flip. "Sounds fair, Angel."

"Crowley...can I ask you something?" I asked carefully and slowly.

"Anything."

"And you promise you'll answer honestly?"

"Always." He nodded, setting his wine down.

"I...well...I've always wondered...to my understand...Demons couldn't feel love, but you always went on about how you were unique, so...I...I was wondering..."

"Yes, I can feel love. I can feel _all_ types of it."

"Well..." I whispered out. "...um...that's not entirely true...God's love and all, but...uh...then next, I was rather wondering..." As I was stammering, I couldn't believe I was actually about to basically confess to Crowley, but we were _free_. No longer just an angel or just a demon. We were on our _own_ side and on humanity's side. We fooled Heaven and Hell. So, if it was possible for him to feel love, I could be allowed this, right? I could let myself have this rather than continuously trying to hide it more and more.

Interrupting my thoughts, Crowley got up, tilted my head up so that I would look up at him and he was smiling pure and joyfully. "Are you ready?"

"R-R-Ready for what?" I squeaked out.

"Are you ready?" He repeated, telling me this was a yes or no question whether I liked it or not.

"Y-Yes?" I answered as my soul shivered with anticipation. For what? I had no clue.

"Alright, you asked for it, Aziraphale." He grabbed my hand, pulling me to stand, and the fact that my legs were able to stand was a miracle in and of itself. Now we were face to face, and I could see every shade of yellow his serpent-like eyes held. Then, I felt his gentle hand on my face as his eyes grew softer and kinder. "_My_ Aziraphale. We've been through a lot. I've chased you all over the world I don't know _how_ many times. I've gotten you out of more scrapes than you should've ever been in. I'm going to show you what I've felt since the beginning. What I've deliberately blocked because I've had to. Just remember, you said you were ready."

Before I could ask what it was, I was bombarded by pure..._LOVE_. I felt it envelope me like a tight embrace, like ocean waves washing over me as if it were high tide, like the most pleasant wind blowing past me and around me, and it all warmed me past my skin, muscles, and bones by going straight to my soul. I felt like I was being lifted up into the air, while also being pushed back onto my chair, knowing I was still standing. I felt safe, protected, cared for, thought of, and admired. I then felt warm lips physically on my own, causing me to gasp, which then allowed a tongue to softly yet slowly enter my mouth. The sensation of that alone had me physically going weak kneed to the point that Crowley had to quickly wrap his arm around me. The kiss ended to soon for my liking, but when I opened my eyes, that I hadn't realize I had shut, I noticed that our surroundings were different, but I couldn't quite place them as my eyes were still focused on Crowley's relieved smile and his joyful tears that were streaming down his cheeks. "Why are you crying?" I asked in a hushed whisper, trying to gain some semblance of composure after my overexposure to that much pure love, and it came from Crowley of all beings...FOR ME! And it was ROMANTIC love!

"I'm crying, because you FINALLY get to know."

"Kn-Know what?" I asked, but then he stepped away, and he wasn't Crowley anymore. He was Raphael. "R-RAPHAEL!? What are you d-doing here!?"

"Angel..." He chuckled warmly and I watched as Raphael changed into Crowley nearly effortlessly. "...it's me." He stated before changing back to Raphael. "I'm me. I'm here."

At his words, I actually collapsed to the cool green grass of Crowley's floor. "Wh-What?" I squeaked out as I blinked several times at him.

"Oh, Aziraphale. _My_ Aziraphale." He breathed out as he knelt in front of me. "...I've been me. I've been Crowley. I am Crowley and Crowley is me. We are the same person. However, my looks, voice, and some of my aura was altered when I...fell. Let me show you what happened." He pressed his head to mine and I was instantly brought to the battle, but I wasn't seeing it as a third party. I was seeing it through Raphael's eyes.

_I flew with six wings until I saw Lucifer on the ground and I flew down towards him. "Brother!" Raphael's voice called out, but I could feel the strain on my throat as if it were my own voice. "Stop this! You're hurting EVERYONE!"_

_"Nonsense! I'm LIBERATING everyone! Were you not listening? We would be ruled by the humans!"_

_"That's not what she said!"_

_"Join me, Raphael! With you, I could make EVERYONE see! You're the eldest after all! Join me, and I'll even let you bring your pet angel with you."_

_"I will not join you!" I growled out ferociously._

_"Then die." Lucifer shrugged before plunging a sword through my shoulder. It was red and white hot pain searing my entire being, causing me to fall until I saw nothing but blackness. Not even nothingness or darkness...just...blackness._

_Soon, the blackness turned into light and I was looking up at God on my back, my head in Her lap as she petted my hair. "You're awake. Good. Raphael, my sweet darling boy...your bother stabbed you. Do you remember?"_

_"I...I remember, Mother. Kind of hard NOT to when an overgrown fledgling throwing a temper tantrum stabs you."_

_"Well..." She chuckled warmly. "...at least you remember to call me mother. Listen, I have told everyone that those who have fought against me are called Fallen or Demons. They reside in Hell. It's a horrible place and it will only get worse as time goes on. I had also told them that those who had fallen in battle were dead. To them...to Aziraphale...the one I know you love with all your grace and soul even after just so few moments...they all will think that you died during battle. It needs to remain this way for a time, because I cannot have Lucifer having you completely. I cannot have him repeatedly going after you, because he will, because you two were so close, BUT I will grant you something precious."_

_"What would that be?" I asked, but it still wasn't my voice, but Raphael's._

_"A choice, my son." She stated as she continued to pet my hair. "You can either choose to stay here with me where it's safe, warm, loving, kind, and caring...and you can stay here until everything else is safe as well..."_

_"Or?"_

_"Or..." She nodded. "...you can willingly go to Hell, gain recognition, and secretly become the Guardian Angel I had always meant for you to be. You will be a demon, but this way...you would be able to be by Aziraphale's side. He will NOT know it's you. He won't make the connection that you're Raphael. He'll see you as a demon and you'll have to hear him ridicule you for being one, but you would be able to be by his side more than you would be here. You would be able to protect him and keep him safe. All of your powers will be in tact and I'll give you a few more to help with your disguise and so no one can tell you're Raphael."_

_"Right...which way to Hell, Mother?" I sat up, getting a better look at her, and she was smiling proudly._

_"Stand, Raphael." She commanded as she stood up. I followed her movements, but noticed there was a sadness in her eyes. I wanted to ask about it, but Raphael didn't ask so neither did I. "You will lose two of your wings, and I will be taking the stardust from the remaining pair."_

_"Will I...will...he won't make the connection that it's me, but will I ever get to tell him?"_

_"Someday, but I will not tell you when. You'll have to have faith in me and in him. It won't be easy for either of you, but...would you be willing to give up being an Archangel for him? Would you be willing to leave Heaven for him? Would you be willing to become a demon for him? Would you be willing to lose two wings for him?"_

_"Yes." I answered swiftly. "As many times as needed. I know I hadn't known him for very long, but I do love him. Not like I love you, or my siblings, or the other angels, or the stars he and I helped you create, or...but it's different."_

_"That's romantic love, my son. You'll understand what that word means in time. Now, you will be cut off from Heaven as if you were really dead to them, because they think you ARE dead, but I will visit you in dreams to check on you and Aziraphale. However, Aziraphale won't know this, and I won't visit him."_

_"I understand."_

_"Good." She waved her hand and a pitch black staircase appeared._

_"Mother?" I quickly started as my breathing got heavy._

_"Yes?"_

_"I...I asked questions...I hung around Lucifer...I..."_

_"And if you want that to be what you tell the others for your reasons of falling, that's perfectly fine. You always did ask questions."_

_"Right...well...I love you."_

_"I love you, too, Raphael." When I took the first step the vision ended._

When I opened my eyes, the breeze that was in Crowley's dimensional room was blowing through my hair softly. "That..." I looked at him and he was Crowley again.

"...do you no longer like this form?" He question cautiously as if nervous for the answer.

I thought about it for a moment as everything finally settled around me. I had known Raphael for a little over a week, and I loved him so much, but I had known Crowley for six thousand years! Same person or not, I made my decision a long time ago. "I love this form." I answered him with a smile as my grace jumped with giddy and reckless abandon. "I've known this form for six thousand years. This form has saved me countless times. This form is the one I worried about, got furious about, and got flustered about. This form saved the world by my side. This form put up with my horrible insults. This form is the form that I had loved...and tried not to love...for six thousand years. I love your Raphael form very much, but...if I were to be honest...I love YOU more. I love this you...more."

Tears started falling down his face as he nodded. "Yeah, I've grown a bit attached to this form. However, if it's any consolation, you confessed long before I did."

"What?" I asked with a feeling of confusion creeping up on me. "I...I never..."

"Angel..." He started as he took my hand, lifted me up, took me to the bed, and we both sat next to each other. "...I'm Crowley...AND Raphael. You had dreams of Raphael."

My face instantly felt hot as a blush surely appeared on my cheeks. "I...after our fight about the Holy Water."

"Yes. That was entirely unexpected, but it was enough to tell me that I made the right decision in going to Hell for you."

"Th-Then why did you stay asleep!?"

"I was hoping I would see you again, and I really didn't want to wake up and you pretend it was all nothing more than a dream."

"You..." My eyes instantly widened with realization as I remembered one of the dreams. "...you trusted me with the Holy Water."

"Yes." He nodded. "I did. It took a lot of energy to do that, being that I couldn't ACTUALLY touch it, but yes...I trusted you with it, which is why my first words when I saw you were, 'What are you doing here?', because I didn't expect to actually show up. Then, you further shocked me by pulling out the thermos. I couldn't help it, I kept looking at you, then the thermos, then you, and back again. In the end, it did save my life, but I hadn't expected it."

"A-And...the children in Wessex..."

"Aziraphale." He chuckled warmly. "I've been me this whole time. I've just also been a demon, but after the world didn't end, God visited me in a dream telling me that I would know when I was able to tell you everything, and boy did I know! Your pink aura...your love aura...it flared brighter than anything I had ever seen as you talked about us and the cottage. There wasn't a trace of you blocking your feelings. It was warm, it was encompassing, and whether you realize it or not, you pushed that particular aura into my grace. I knew then that I could finally tell you."

I felt tears slide down my cheeks as a sob rested itself in my throat. "I should've guessed..." I choked out as I looked in his eyes. There was pure love and relief.

"You really should've, but I can't blame you. Everyone thought I was dead." At his words, he looked down at my hand that had the ring on it, and he took it into his hand. He brought it up to his lips, kissing my knuckles gently, causing a pleasant shiver to rush down my spine like lightning. "You know...every time I saw you I looked forward to seeing my ring on you." With my grace pounding, my soul singing, and my breath caught in my throat, I grabbed the lapels of his jacket and pulled him down to kiss me. When I heard him moan into the kiss as he wrapped his arms around me I knew I wanted to hear it again with far less clothing. Crowley was tempting enough as it was, but it didn't take long after my admittance to loving him and after seeing him again that I noticed how attractive his body was, but the fact that he's loved me in return brought all of those times I found myself staring a little too long, into one moment. However, I wouldn't undress him just yet. For now, kissing was more than enough. It was far more than I expected.

Soon, I felt him lean me back onto the bed until I was on my back comfortably, but I hadn't stopped kissing him. As he hovered over me, I brought one hand to the side of his face while the other wrapped around his waist, drawing out a gasp, allowing me to do what he did with our first kiss and I slid my tongue into his mouth enjoying the taste of him. Once I had licked the roof his mouth, I heard him moan roughly as he quickly pulled away, but he still stayed in my arms, panting, smiling, and as he looked at me, his eyes showed that he was clearly aroused. "Crowley?"

"Oh...I think God may have picked the wrong angel to be a demon. Good _Lord_, Aziraphale...if I let you keep that up...I don't think we'd be clothed for much longer. Wh-Where did you l-learn how t-to do that!?"

"From you when you first kissed me." I smirked.

"Oh, I think not!" He scoffed out a laugh. "I didn't kiss you like_ that!_ I..." I watched as his Adam's apple bobbed hard in his throat as he swallowed.

"You did, but I guess both of us kiss differently." I shrugged with a pleased smile on my face. It was a pleasure by itself to see Crowley like this, and as he hovered over me, I still felt all of his love, which had me feeling as if I had two bottles of wine. "I guess it also depends on who's receiving the kiss."

"Yeah..." He nodded. "...I guess it does." He swallowed again before moving to lay his head on on of his pillows on the left side of the bed. I moved to lay my head on the other pillow and we face each other. "So, Angel...and that word is starting to become a very loose term with you..." He smirked briefly before continuing. "...what do we do now?" I was about to answer, but then a sharp and harsh feeling pierced through my chest, and Crowley must've noticed, because he looked alert all of a sudden. "What's wrong?"

"Someone's in the bookshop! Someone not human."

"Oh you've got to be kidding me!" He groaned as we both leapt off of the bed. He snapped his fingers and we were in the back room.

"Hello?" I called out as I walked out of the room with Crowley following behind me. Once we saw who was at the door, I felt Crowley's fury flare.

"Ah, the traitor Aziraphale and the lowly demon Crowley."

"Sod off, Gabriel." Crowley snapped as he stepped in front of me.

"I don't take orders from the likes of you." Gabriel growled harshly with pure disgust on his face.

"Why are you here?" I asked as I stood next to Crowley. Not behind and not in front of, but next to.

A cruel grin appeared on Gabriel's face before he snapped his fingers, bringing me to Heaven in the blink of an eye. I looked around and Crowley was no where to be found. "I may not be able to burn you with Hellfire, but you can still feel pain. You're going to pay for being the traitor that you are!"


	14. Chapter 14

"Archangel Gabriel! You can't! Me not dying in the flames...that was a sign that you shouldn't harm me!"

"Cut the crap! You're as good as fallen!" He growled out, and that's when I looked around the room once more, recognizing it as the observatory room I had been in a very long time ago with Raphael.

"But I haven't fallen!"

"It's the only explanation for you not burning, but I still have a blade that can still cut demons and angels alike so even if you aren't, I can still punish you."

"What happened to you?" I asked with a pain in my grace. "You used to be kind and understanding."

"That was before Lucifer fell and before he killed my brother, and before I had to watch over you, being continuously reminded of what I lost. It should've been you, you know. You were new, you were young, he was experienced, he was loved, he was adored, he was intelligent, kind, caring, and the perfect Angel. YOU were still practically a fledgling! Then, you go off and sleep with a demon as if Raphael didn't mean anything to you, yet you DARE to still wear his ring!"

"I haven't slept with Crowley!" I spat while thinking, _'Not yet at least.'_

"Like I should believe anything you say!" He snapped before he took out his sword. He snapped his fingers and I was in a chair with my wrists bound to the arms of it.

"If I'm to be punished, I thought it was supposed to be with at least two Archangels in the room."

"There are, but since you're a traitor that can't be eradicated through normal circumstances, I decided that normal circumstances weren't needed for this." He walked behind me and pressed two fingers in the middle of my spine, forcing my wings out. I then felt a sharp, horrible, burning feeling in my right wing. It was being cut, but not cut off. He was cutting into the muscles of my wing.

I don't know if I screamed or not, but my throat was sore after he released the blade from my wing. "Y-You don't h-have to d-do this." He cut me two more times on the same wing after that. My vision was growing cloudy, and my wing was burning, but I knew it wasn't actually on fire.

"See what trusting a demon got you? He isn't here is he?"

"H-He'll...He'll come for me." I breathed out, voice nearly gone from what must've been screaming, but the pain was so much every time I never registered it.

"Oh, Aziraphale. A grown up Angel, but still such a stupid fledgling inside. He's a DEMON! He doesn't CARE about you or ANYONE!" He let out a cruel chuckle as he then moved to my left wing, but just as his hand grabbed the top of it, there was flash of black in my vision, a clatter to the ground, and the ruffling of clothes and feathers. Soon, the sound came closer until it was in front of me.

"You..." I chuckled out as I realized who it was. "...don't know him like I do."

At some point Gabriel must've summoned the other Archangels, because as I slowly blinked I saw Uriel, Sandalphon, and Michael appear. "What is that thing doing here?" Sandalphon sneered as they all got ready to fight.

"Ha!" Crowley laughed out as he held off Gabriel, wings out and menacing. "You think you can take me on. That's cute! Really! Even the four of you together wouldn't be able to take me on!"

"Let's test that, shall we!?" Sandalphon growled, and to my immense horror they all started to charge him with weapons drawn.

Crowley pushed Gabriel away and my eyes widened despite the pain as I watched Crowley move like water in and out of their attacks while standing as strong as any mountain. He blocked them with expert precision, he ducked with careful calculation, and when he did attack, he did so with all his might while still moving in and out of the attacks. The first to be knocked out of the fray was Sandalphon. Crowley punched him in the nose so hard there was blood and he flew six feet away against his will. The next to go was Uriel who he picked up and threw across the room much farther than Sandalphon had flown. After that, he took Michael's sword, used the hilt to hit her in the stomach just before kicking her hard enough to send her back to the wall. He never once gained a scratch from the whole thing. Finally, there was Gabriel, who kept his attacks strong, but Crowley was stronger and swifter. Crowley grabbed Gabriel's sword, yanked it out of his hand and knocked Gabriel to his knees before pointing it at him, breathing as if he wasn't just in a four against one battle. "Leave Aziraphale alone. ALL OF YOU!" With that, he threw the sword on the ground and started walking towards me.

Just as he was about to say something to me, I saw Gabriel grab his sword, getting up to quickly make his way to Crowley. "CROWLEY! LOOK OUT!"

At my words, he changed back into Raphael as he turned around just four feet in front of me. Hair as black as night. His six wings out with shades of dark green to the point of almost being as black as his hair, decorated by the stardust I had thrown at him, and right as Gabriel was about to make a striking blow, he blocked his sword with the first staff I ever saw him with. All in one fluid one second motion. "Enough, Gabriel!" He shouted with the voice that belonged to Raphael.

Once Gabriel saw him, he staggered back quite a bit with widened eyes of shock. I looked at the others and they held the same expressions, even Sandalphon who hadn't met Raphael, but obviously heard of him. "R-R-Raphael!"

"YOU DON'T GET TO SPEAK TO ME WITH FAMILIARITY!" He shouted with pure fury and sorrow, his voice practically shaking the walls of Heaven. "I GAVE YOU ONE JOB, GABRIEL! You were to keep Aziraphale safe, he was to learn under you, he was to be guided by you if something should happen, because I TRUSTED YOU! Instead of guiding him, you ridiculed him when he's discovered things on his own! Instead of teaching him, he had to learn everything from ME as a DEMON and when he wasn't learning it from me he was learning it from humans! FINALLY, Instead of PROTECTING him, you threw him into Hellfire without God present! SHE said that it would be up to HER how others are punished. NOT YOU! And if that wasn't all, you bring him here and you TORTURE him! You are no brother of mine! You are Lucifer's brother, because this is something HE would've done! And YOU Michael, don't think I don't know how the demons got word it was me! I've heard your voice on the phone with one of the dukes of Hell!"

"Cr-Crowley..." I rasped out.

When he turned to face me, he changed back to his Crowley form, reduced to short scarlet hair, two ebony black wings, and no staff. He stepped behind me where Gabriel was, placing a gentle hand on the top of my right wing, and started to heal my injuries. As he did that, a blinding light erupted in the room for a moment, but as it faded, it revealed God Herself, and She did NOT look pleased. _**"Archangels, stand before me!"**_

"I'll be there in a moment, Mother." Crowley called out. "I'm healing Aziraphale."

_**"Very well."**_ She nodded as the other four scrambled to their feet to stand in front of Her._** "We will wait for you."**_

"Aziraphale, are you alright?" The love coming off of him was like a soothing balm to me, so I nodded.

"Yes, I'm alright. I just...it hurts."

"I know." He breathed out. "I'm healing it as gently as I can. If I heal it to fast it'll tear the wounds open. Be patient with me?"

"Always." I chuckled lightly, ignoring the brief pain it caused.

"Good."

_**"Raphael, do you wish for me to heal him?"**_ God asked with a gentle tone, but it also carried weight as if she already knew the answer. _**"It'll be faster."**_

"No, I want to do this."

_**"Very well."**_ She nodded once again as she turned her gaze back to the four confused Archangels.

"God, why have you lied to us?" Gabriel questioned with a disappointed voice as Crowley finished healing the longest injury on my right wing.

_ **"You will wait until ALL Archangels are present before you ask me anything, Gabriel."** _

"Y-Yes, Lord."

"Just one more, Aziraphale." Crowley told me, clearly ignoring their conversation.

"Thank you, Crowley." I breathed out as the rest of the pain started to subside.

Once I was completely healed, Crowley unbound my wrists and helped me up. "There you go. Better now?" He asked as he held my hand in his.

"Much. Thank you."

"Anytime." He smiled before changing back to his Raphael form, pulling me towards the others until all six of us were standing in front of God.

** _"Good, now, Gabriel, I had not lied to anyone as I never spoke of Raphael's fate to anyone. You all believed him to be dead, so I kept it so. It is also true that he WAS dead, but I brought him back. I then gave him a choice and he took it. He could either stay with me, unseen by anyone and safe until Lucifer was dealt with OR he could become a demon himself...a fallen...and still be with Aziraphale, even though Aziraphale would ridicule him every now and then and even though Aziraphale wouldn't know him. I never lied. Had I, Raphael?"_ **

"No, you have never lied." He answered joyfully as he placed a hand on my shoulder.

_ **"Thank you. Now, I was not consulted by any of you on how to punish Aziraphale for what you called betrayal."** _

"Then why did you let it happen!?" Michael questioned childishly.

_ **"All actions have their consequences and considering how poorly YOU ALL have been treating Aziraphale, the punishment wasn't going to be any of you falling or being sent to Hellfire. It would have to be the only thing suitable for carrying out your punishment."** _

"What would that be?" Uriel asked.

"Sorry, wasn't that obvious?" Raphael questioned coldly. "Me. I'm your punishment."

"HOW ARE YOU OUR PUNISHMENT!?" Sandalphon shouted.

_**"Sandalphon, silence, before I force you to be so."**_ God's voice wasn't a threat, it was a promise. Meanwhile, I just stared at all of them with wide eyes. _**"He is your punishment, because HE will decide what your punishments shall be."**_

"Crowley, did you know about this?" I asked him, using the name I so enjoyed using.

"No, not until her light shined on me, just before appearing. Then, it all sort of made sense."

"H-HE'S to decide _our_ punishment!?"

_ **"It is only fitting since you've all been cruel to the one he loves, and you, Gabriel, have broken his trust not just a little, but completely. Raphael, it is up to you how these four Archangels shall be punished."** _

I looked up at Raphael, and he looked back down at me with a bright smile on his face, causing even his own eyes to smile. "Any suggestions, Aziraphale?"

"I just want to be left alone. I want YOU to be left alone. I don't want anyone but God talking to us. I don't want anyone but her to bother us in anyway."

He looked up at them and nodded his head. "Right. With that, Gabriel, your punishment is never seeing me again. You are to never talk to me again. You have completely lost my trust and you repeatedly hurt someone I deeply care about. You are not to speak to, of, or near Aziraphale. You are not allowed to even think his name. He is mine. He is my Aziraphale, and I will not let you tarnish him by even thinking cruelly or wrongly about him. The same goes for all of you, but Michael, you are no longer allowed to communicate with ANYONE inside or outside of Heaven except for God Herself. You had been consorting with demons, yet you dared to put Aziraphale to Hellfire for doing the same. Uriel, you will redo ALL of the training you've had to undergo through all your years. You will start at the fledgling training stage and you will do that until you've reached the Archangel stage. Maybe that will teach you that you were supposed to be inspiration, guiding, kind, and loving. Lastly, Sandalphon. I just plain don't like you, and coming from me, these three Archangels can tell you, that's BAD. Your aura is dark, and you have more black than white. I may not be able to sentence you to falling or Hellfire, but rest assured, if I could, I would, and I'd do it myself. No, for you, I have quite the fitting punishment for an egotistical, arrogant, ignorant, pompous fool such as yourself. I actually have two punishments besides the default one of leaving us alone, but this one is to be the first one. Walk up to Aziraphale, and apologize for being cruel. Oh, and you HAVE to _mean_ it."

Sandalphon grumbled as he walked up to me, glaring daggers at Raphael the entire time. Once he was in front of me, he looked at me, took in a deep breath, let one out, and got on his hands and knees, bowing his head. "I'm sorry, Principality Aziraphale. Please forgive me."

"I forgive you." I told him, even though the words tasted like black licorice on my tongue.

He got up and walked back to his place where Raphael was waiting. "Good, secondly..." He turned to face God, who looked at him expectantly. "...this is more of a request. Can you demote him to a normal angel?"

_**"I can."**_ She nodded her head as she looked at him.

"Good, that's good enough." Raphael smirked as he watched the rush of panic go through Sandalphon. "If you are cruel to ANYONE, if you treat ANYONE how you treated Aziraphale, I will ask God to demote you, and before you get cocky ideas that I can't possibly know everything that goes on in Haven, keep in mind, Fledgling, that I was around since BEFORE The beginning of the Universe. Aziraphale and I helped God CREATE the universe. You could live a million years and you would never be able to fathom me. Do I make myself clear?" Sandalphon frantically nodded his head, all color drained from his face. "Good."

_**"Raphael."**_ God spoke calmly.

"Yes, Lord?"

_ **"Do you wish to have your garrison back?"** _

Raphael looked at Her seeming a bit confused. "I thought we were to be left alone."

_ **"And you will be. However, you would be able to send out Guardian Angels all over the world, and they can do what they're meant to do."** _

A known smirk appeared on his face as he crossed his arms. "That's a trick statement. You can have them do as they're meant to all on your own. I don't want power. I don't want a legion or a garrison of angels. All I want is to be left alone and to be with Aziraphale."

_**"Then you shall have it." **_She snapped her fingers and we were back in Crowley's other dimension room.

I waited for Raphael to change back into Crowley before wrapping my arms around him along with my wings. "We're REALLY free this time!" I cried out into his shirt as he wrapped his arms and wings around me, causing a delightful shiver to go through me when his wings brushed against mine.

"Yes, we are. I love you, Aziraphale. My Aziraphale."

"I love you too, Crowley."

"Hmm..." He leaned back a bit, using a hand to tip my chin up to face him, "...now about that Cottage? Or...did you want to do something else?"

I swallowed the hard and pleased lump in my throat before giving him a small smirk. "T-Temptation a-accomplished."


End file.
